Sponsorship programs proposed early

Jacques Corriveau, former president of Pluri-Design, answers questions about one of his invoices during his testimony at the Gomery commission

CNews Canada has the following pieces on the events today in the Gomery Inquiry:
PM, Manley knew of plan, says Guite
Brault, Guite fraud trial delayed
Guite earned over $1M from ad firms
Gagliano aide replaced Guite
Chretien’s office allegedly awarded deals
Guite says contracts ‘politically driven’
Guite’s credibility the key issue
Chretien’s wife picked souvenir watches
Tories say new testimony shows Martin linked to sponsorship scandal

Key players in the federal sponsorship program – including Jacques Corriveau and Jean Lafleur – were apparently discussing sponsorship-like events months before the program officially existed, new evidence at the Gomery inquiry indicates.

Documents and testimony also suggest then-prime minister Jean Chretien’s office was advised of the potential projects in April 1995.

A memo sent that month carries a heading labelled “Jacques Corriveau” and refers to the fact that a list of projects had been submitted to Jean Carle, Chretien’s director of operations.

It’s not clear whether the list, including proposed funding for nine projects totalling $2.3 million, was submitted directly by Corriveau or by somebody else.

Among the proposed recipients were the Montreal Grand Prix, the Expos baseball club, the Toronto Molson Inday car race, and a number of other oganizations that later figured prominently in the sponsorship program.

Read the rest here.