http://www.cbc.ca/story/canada/national/2005/04/13/gomerylemay050413.html
CBC
13Apr2005
Sponsorship probe told millions paid in commissions
MONTREAL - The Gomery inquiry has heard that Jacques Corriveau, one of
Jean
Chr?en's close friends, pocketed nearly $7 million in sponsorship money
for
little or no work.
Hunting and fishing show promoter Luc Lemay testified Wednesday that he
agreed to give Corriveau a commission on all government sponsorship
contracts he obtained for Lemay's companies.
Lemay says contracts for his companies ? Groupe Polygone and Expour ?
started to pour in after he met Corriveau.
He told the inquiry he would meet with Corriveau at the beginning of each
year to hammer out project proposals for sponsorship money.
That, he said, translated into about $36 million over seven years for
Lemay's companies. Lemay says $6.7 million went to Corriveau in
commissions.
"Corriveau would send me bills, but I never looked them over," Lemay said.
"We had agreed I'd pay him his commission once the money came through."
Bills tabled at the inquiry show Corriveau provided invoices for
professional services.
"Did Corriveau do any work for the money?" Lemay was asked.
"Little or none," Lemay replied.
"So why did would you pay him for work that he didn't do?"
Lemay said Corriveau very possibly didn't want to show that he was making
commissions on contracts he lobbied for in Ottawa.
At that point Justice John Gomery intervened. "One is not supposed to use
one's influence or contacts with the government to secure contracts,
right?"
Gomery asked.
Lemay said, "I don't know."
"You've never heard of influence peddling? That's forbidden in public
service?"
Lemay simply scratched his head and shrugged.
Had Lemay looked at Corriveau's bills for regional outdoors shows he
should
have become suspicious. The description of the work on each of the
invoices
is nearly identical, referring to preparing venues at Olympic stadiums in
Rimouski, Ste. Foy, Chicoutimi, Trois Rivi?s and Sherbrooke.
"To your knowledge is there an Olympic stadium in Rimouski?" Lemay was
asked.
"No," he replied.
In his testimony, Lemay also acknowledged he made equal contributions
totalling $10,000 to Liberal candidates Denis Coderre and Yolande
Thibeault
between 1998 and 1999 and an additional $10,000 to the Liberal party
during
the same period.
But he said the donations had nothing to do with sponsorship money he
received.
On Thursday the inquiry will begin hearing testimony from Jacques
Corriveau,
the man who is turning out to be a key figure in the scandal.
The sponsorship inquiry is looking into the $250-million sponsorship
program, which was intended to promote national unity, and to discourage
separatism in Quebec.
In her report in February 2004, Auditor General Sheila Fraser said an
estimated $100 million in commissions under the program went to
Liberal-friendly ad agencies for little or no work.
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