‘We didn’t know what we were getting ourselves into’
Lawyer calls Elliot Lake mall owner’s son ‘a stranger to the truth’
ELLIOT LAKE, Ont. — One of the lawyers at the inquiry into the deadly Algo Centre Mall collapse last year called the mall owner's son “a stranger to the truth” in his handling of mall matters.
Robert MacRae questioned Levon Nazarian about his role as real estate representative for the sale of the mall and whether he disclosed relevant information to potential buyers
MacRae is counsel for disgraced engineer Robert Wood who, earlier in the inquiry, admitted to altering an inspection report but said it was at the request of his client, mall owner Robert Nazarian.
MacRae asked Levon Nazarian if he received the 2008 engineering report from former mall development supervisor Rod Caughill that noted, in part, “water has caused corrosion damage to the steel that should be investigated to con- firm the integrity of the steel.”
MacRae asked if such details should have been disclosed to potential purchasers.
“That’s fair,” Nazarian responded.
“It should have been provided to (Wood's engineering firm) M.R. Wright,” MacRae said, to which Nazarian explained it had not been.
Regarding the sale of the mall, MacRae asked if Nazarian told potential buyers his father was the mall's owner.
“On paper, no I did not,” Nazarian said.
MacRae's questions turned to the concrete spear that fell through a tenant’s ceiling in the summer of 2011.
Nazarian said mall manager Rhonda Bear told him at the time that a section of fireproofing material had fallen.
“She assured me that there was nothing to worry about,” he said. “We had a history of falling fireproofing.”
Nazarian also said he did not ask Wood — or consult with any engineer — to inves- tigate the issue but instructed Bear to advise Wood to look into it.
“I put it to you sir that that’s an absolute fabrication,” MacRae said, adding that Wood knew nothing of this event.
MacRae suggested that Nazarian concealed information from Wood M.R. Wright about the fallen concrete.
“I absolutely disagree with you,” Nazarian said.
At this point, MacRae called Nazarian “a stranger to the truth.” .
“You’re getting argumentative,” Commissioner Belanger warned. “I’ve heard enough to draw my own conclusions.”
Nazarian concluded his testimony by saying: “I want the City of Elliot Lake to know ... that we’re not the bad guys here. We’re good people ... we didn’t know what we were getting ourselves into. We’re by your side.”
Mall owner Robert Nazarian is scheduled to testify before the commission on Tuesday.