To my understanding, members of the old Calabrian faction, D'Amicos, Piccirilli and other cells in the Montreal mafia went to Ontario and sought the help of established families for support, mainly the Violis-Luppinos but also the Siderno Group. Sal Montagna is also a large piece to the puzzle as he consolidated his power in Canada through working out deals with the Ndrangheta and support from the Five Families.
If what you're saying is true, it would be a major event to say the least. What makes me wonder is why would the Calabrian faction needed the help from outsiders when the Rizzutos where already weakened. Couldn't they have done it themselves? Or did they needed permission because Toronto and New York were still doing business with the Rizzutos?
If so, the New York and Toronto families took advantage of the situation by demaning a larger share and more influence in return for their support. It's humiliating and a sign of weakness for the once strong Montreal mafia if they are now being controlled by outsiders.
Btw, what do you know about Violi/Luppinos in Hamilton. How strong are they and how many men do they have? They seem to be very pretty mysterious.
Very valid question.
To better understand what's going on, one must travel back in time. What's true is that Italian Mafia, whether Calabrese or Sicilian, works on a global scale. NYC, Chicago, Montreal and Toronto must have and do have some sort of accords.
Before the Violis got wacked and sent off to prison, Paolo Violi had put a hit on the Rizzutos and that's why they fled to Venezuela. Before his plans to actually kill the Rizzutos, Violi had travelled to New York and Italy, seeking advice and permission. What I'm getting to is that the Rizzuto extermination is a local phenomenon, but with international implications. You can't just eliminate the Rizzuto's without getting approval or support from neighbouring mafia families.
Remember that Violi was married to Luppinos daughter and a Luppino daughter married a Commisso who holds alot of sway in the Siderno Group. Killing members of this level requires permission and planning. The article strictly points out that permission and support came out of Ontario to kill Rizzuto, part revenge, part business, part oppurtunity.
To my understanding and what the media has said is that the sons and nephews of Paolo, Rocco and Giuseppe Violi are very active in Hamilton along with the remaining Luppino, Musitanos and Papalia families. They all answer to the Board of Control, which settles disputes between Calabrians in Ontario. People lump up the Calabrians into one big group when in reality you have the pure Ndrangheta families from Siderno and the Ionian Coast alongside the Hamilton Calabrians, which are more Canadian and more LCN, but still have deep rooted connections to the Siderno Group. According to Italian magistrates, there are a total of 9 Ndrangheta Cells operating in Ontario, 7 in Toronto and 2 in Thunderbay. That's excluding the Violi-Musitano-Papalia-Luppino families.
People think it's Calabrians vs Sicilians. The ndrangheta never fights the cosa nostra and vice versa. The work with eachother more than against eachother. That being said, the Rizzuto's are only one piece to the Sicilian empire and can be replaced by others.
Like in the 70's, the Rizzuto's will be replaced by a local family with much sway, influence and connections abroad, and most likely Sicilian. Montreal will always be Sicilian-Bonnano and Ontario Calabrese-Ndrangheta, with both provinces having common interests and sharing resources.
People forget that the Rizzutos got lazy, fat, greedy and vulnerable. Mafia bosses shouldnt be living in mansions and wearing fedoras in 2011. They created alot of enemies and put way too much spotlight on themselves. Everybody knew who they were and how they operated. When's the last time you heard of saw something like that in Ontario, or even New York?
Times have changed and criminals evolve.
