Largs
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Joined: 21 Feb 2005
Posts: 2371
Location: Ontario
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| Posted: Thu Apr 21, 2005 6:04 am Post subject: Chretien's hands dir |
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Chretien has testified under oath that he had nothing to do with approving any contracts in the sponsorship scandal. This apparently is another lie from the "old street fighter."
MONTREAL (CP) - Jean Chretien's friend Jacques Corriveau insisted under oath he never discussed sponsorship deals with the former prime minister, but that apparently didn't stop him from making a pitch in writing.
Documents tabled Wednesday at the sponsorship inquiry include a letter in which Corriveau asked the then-prime minister for $3.5 million in sponsorship funds for Montreal's Mosaicultures botanical show.
In a written reply, Chretien said he would pass on the request to cabinet colleagues. It wasn't clear Wednesday whether Corriveau's request was granted.
But the request indicates Corriveau finessed his response when he testified last week that he never discussed sponsorship deals with Chretien.
The exchange of letters also raises questions about Chretien's testimony in February during which he said he never talked sponsorship with Corriveau and didn't know he was getting government business.
Corriveau provided a similar response at the inquiry last Thursday before he was even asked about it, saying "There was not, I can assure you, any request for any file that interests the commission."
Pressed further by inquiry counsel Bernard Roy about any possible sponsorship talk with Chretien, Corriveau replied, "It's certain. No."
But in his letter to Chretien, dated August 26, 2002, Corriveau said he was prepared to meet him to discuss an injection of cash into the 2003 show.
The letter contained a laundry list of items for the prime minister to consider, including:
-$3.5 million in sponsorship funding for the event:
-$2.6 million from other government departments:
-$500,000 for similar botanical events in three African countries and for First Nations communities.
-Lodging for 250 gardeners at a military base south of Montreal.
Chretien replied in writing just over two months later, saying he would send the request to colleagues including Sheila Copps, then heritage minister, as well as John McCallum, the defence minister at the time.
"I thank you for having written me and please accept my best regards," Chretien said.
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