Both defence and Crown lawyers had questions on Wednesday related to the testimony of Terry Kilrea, pictured, in the trial of Ottawa Mayor Larry O'Brien. (CBC)

In the third day of testimony in the influence-peddling trial of Ottawa Mayor Larry O'Brien Wednesday, O'Brien's lawyer continued to question the credibility of former mayoral candidate Terry Kilrea.

The day began as lawyers on both sides of the courtroom questioned documents related to the affidavit Kilrea had sworn about events surrounding the 2006 mayoral election, in which both he and O'Brien were candidates.

The trial stems from allegations Kilrea made that he received an offer to have his campaign expenses paid and an appointment to the National Parole Board if he dropped out of the mayoral race to leave O'Brien as the only right-of-centre candidate, so as not to split the vote.

When court finally resumed Wednesday afternoon, O'Brien's lawyer, Michael Edelson, grilled Kilrea not only about his account of the meetings he said he had with O'Brien, but also about his relationship with the Carleton Landowners Association.

Edelson also asked about how Kilrea had gone after those who donated to his rivals' campaigns and about how the story of Kilrea's accusations first became public.

During the 2006 campaign, the Carleton Landowners Association had endorsed Kilrea's bid for mayor. When Kilrea dropped out of the race, the group then backed O'Brien.

From the witness box, Kilrea said that the endorsement had been important to his campaign, but that what they did after he left the race was "their business."

During Wednesday's cross-examination, Edelson presented an email exchange between Kilrea and Tim Tierney, who was his communications director during the 2006 municipal election. The email had been written after the rural rights group switched its endorsement to O'Brien's campaign.

In the email exchange, Kilrea agreed that the landowners were "fucking idiots" and said their support was "worth nothing."

Edelson called the discrepancy in remarks "the height of political hypocrisy" and said Kilrea was "angry" the group had endorsed his rival.

"That's what this is all about," said Edelson, referring to the trial.

At one point, Justice Douglas Cunningham, the trial judge, warned Edelson that "perhaps we've spent enough time on peripheral issues, perhaps it's time we got at the crux of the case."

On Wednesday morning, both Crown and defence lawyers asked about the relationship between Kilrea and the lawyer who drafted the affidavit at the request and expense of the Ottawa Citizen.

Kilrea's allegations spurred a police investigation, which led to influence-peddling charges being laid against O'Brien in 2007.

During a break in court proceedings, there was a discussion about whether materials that were associated with the affidavit were subject to solicitor-client privilege and whether they could be entered as evidence.

Both Kilrea and the Citizen, however, waived any privilege they had concerning the lawyer's notes on the affidavit.

As the cross-examination resumed in the afternoon, the court was told that a transcription of those notes would be provided shortly.