Updated 2008-02-02
Brault makes deal with Ottawa on sponsorship lawsuit
Brault's lawyer, Pierre-Hugues Miller, said it was important for his client to make some kind of amends. "One of the important considerations for Mr. Brault was to reimburse the government the total amount for which he was found guilty of fraud," he said. The Canadian Press, January 31, 2008[Click here]
Adscam's Brault cuts deal with Ottawa
Former advertising executive Jean Brault, a key player in the federal sponsorship scandal, has reached a deal with the government that will see both sides drop their lawsuits against each other. As part of the deal, Mr. Brault will testify in Ottawa's lawsuit against other figures in the now-defunct program. The government has agreed to drop its $8-million lawsuit against Mr. Brault, which it launched as part of a broader attempt to recoup the millions of dollars that went missing during the program. [...] Rollande Parent, Canadian Press, January 31, 2008 [Click here]
Brault's lawyer, Pierre-Hugues Miller, said it was important for his client to make some kind of amends. "One of the important considerations for Mr. Brault was to reimburse the government the total amount for which he was found guilty of fraud," he said. The Canadian Press, January 31, 2008[Click here]
Adscam's Brault cuts deal with Ottawa
Former advertising executive Jean Brault, a key player in the federal sponsorship scandal, has reached a deal with the government that will see both sides drop their lawsuits against each other. As part of the deal, Mr. Brault will testify in Ottawa's lawsuit against other figures in the now-defunct program. The government has agreed to drop its $8-million lawsuit against Mr. Brault, which it launched as part of a broader attempt to recoup the millions of dollars that went missing during the program. [...] Rollande Parent, Canadian Press, January 31, 2008 [Click here]
Brault agrees to drop multimillion-dollar claim, testify in federal lawsuit
OTTAWA — Jean Brault has reached an out-of-court settlement in a deal that will see the disgraced adman testify in the massive federal lawsuit against other players in the sponsorship scandal, sources say. Under the deal, Mr. Brault will pay back about $400,000 to taxpayers and drop a $2.9-million lawsuit against the government, which held back funds from Mr. Brault's firm after the scandal broke in 2002. Daniel Leblanc, Globe and Mail, January 24, 2008 [Click here]
OTTAWA — Jean Brault has reached an out-of-court settlement in a deal that will see the disgraced adman testify in the massive federal lawsuit against other players in the sponsorship scandal, sources say. Under the deal, Mr. Brault will pay back about $400,000 to taxpayers and drop a $2.9-million lawsuit against the government, which held back funds from Mr. Brault's firm after the scandal broke in 2002. Daniel Leblanc, Globe and Mail, January 24, 2008 [Click here]
Jean Brault prepares defence in $40-million sponsorship-related lawsuit
"Jean Brault is preparing his defence in a $40-million sponsorship-related lawsuit filed by Ottawa against his former advertising firm and other companies. Brault, the former president of Montreal-based Groupaction, says the federal government is trying to reverse the burden of proof in the case. He says Ottawa is asking for proof of work done for money received by his company, Gosselin Relations publiques and Alleluia Design. The statement of defence was filed in Quebec Superior Court in advance of a civil trial that's expected to begin in September 2008." MONTREAL (Canadian Press) September 11 2007 [click here]
Privatizing federal buildings a "sweet deal" for new owners
In total, the Conservatives plan to sell off some 40 federal properties, carrying out an exercise started but not completed by the Martin Liberals. Senator and public works minister Michael Fortier said, in a statement that it was "a fair deal for taxpayers" because the $1.64 billion sale price was $400 million higher than the assessed value of the properties. The National Unions said, in response, "In fact, the Harperites appear to be deliberately downplaying the real value of the properties to make the sale look like less of a giveaway of public assets than it appears to be." The Harper Index, Sept 6, 2007 [click here]
GOING, GOING, GONE
"Up to 40 properties have been listed over the past few months as other potential sell-leasebacks, 22 of them in Ottawa" Ottawa Business Journal, Roman Zakaluzny, Aug 27, 2007 [click here]
FORMER AD EXEC JEAN LAFLEUR GIVEN HARSHEST SENTENCE IN SPONSORSHIP SCANDAL
"We're going to continue to do what's necessary with our lawyers to try to recover all of the money that we believe we're owed," said Public Works Minister Michael Fortier." The Canadian Press, Pierre St-Arnaud, June 27th 2007 [The Star] [Macleans]
TORIES WIDEN SPONSORSHIP LAWSUIT
"Public Works Minister Michael Fortier announced Friday that federal lawyers have added Nicolas Gosselin and Groupaction subsidiary Alleluia Design to the civil lawsuit that was launched under the previous Liberal government, originally against 19 defendants for more than $40 million, in March 2005." National Post, Allan Woods, May 27, 2006 [click here]
FORTIER SAID TO HAVE TAKEN DONATIONS
"Harper has campaigned for nearly a decade for an elected Senate. But he not only appointed a senator to cabinet to represent Montreal as the city's political minister, but has also given Fortier, a longtime party organizer, responsibility for the department at the centre of the fundraising scandal that brought down the Liberal government." Ottawa Citizen, Tim Naumetz, March 6, 2006 [click here]
OTTAWA CAN'T FIND $550,000 REPORT
Ottawa — The Chrétien government has paid a company with close Liberal ties a total of $550,000 to produce a report of which no trace can be found, documents obtained by The Globe and Mail show. The report was requested under the Access to Information Act almost two years ago, when it would have been barely one year old. But the federal government has just told The Globe that no one has been able to locate it ever since, either in Ottawa or at the Montreal-based advertising agency Groupaction Marketing Inc., which was awarded the contract. DANIEL LEBLANC AND CAMPBELL CLARK, The Globe and Mail, March 11, 2002.
"Jean Brault is preparing his defence in a $40-million sponsorship-related lawsuit filed by Ottawa against his former advertising firm and other companies. Brault, the former president of Montreal-based Groupaction, says the federal government is trying to reverse the burden of proof in the case. He says Ottawa is asking for proof of work done for money received by his company, Gosselin Relations publiques and Alleluia Design. The statement of defence was filed in Quebec Superior Court in advance of a civil trial that's expected to begin in September 2008." MONTREAL (Canadian Press) September 11 2007 [click here]
Privatizing federal buildings a "sweet deal" for new owners
In total, the Conservatives plan to sell off some 40 federal properties, carrying out an exercise started but not completed by the Martin Liberals. Senator and public works minister Michael Fortier said, in a statement that it was "a fair deal for taxpayers" because the $1.64 billion sale price was $400 million higher than the assessed value of the properties. The National Unions said, in response, "In fact, the Harperites appear to be deliberately downplaying the real value of the properties to make the sale look like less of a giveaway of public assets than it appears to be." The Harper Index, Sept 6, 2007 [click here]
GOING, GOING, GONE
"Up to 40 properties have been listed over the past few months as other potential sell-leasebacks, 22 of them in Ottawa" Ottawa Business Journal, Roman Zakaluzny, Aug 27, 2007 [click here]
FORMER AD EXEC JEAN LAFLEUR GIVEN HARSHEST SENTENCE IN SPONSORSHIP SCANDAL
"We're going to continue to do what's necessary with our lawyers to try to recover all of the money that we believe we're owed," said Public Works Minister Michael Fortier." The Canadian Press, Pierre St-Arnaud, June 27th 2007 [The Star] [Macleans]
TORIES WIDEN SPONSORSHIP LAWSUIT
"Public Works Minister Michael Fortier announced Friday that federal lawyers have added Nicolas Gosselin and Groupaction subsidiary Alleluia Design to the civil lawsuit that was launched under the previous Liberal government, originally against 19 defendants for more than $40 million, in March 2005." National Post, Allan Woods, May 27, 2006 [click here]
FORTIER SAID TO HAVE TAKEN DONATIONS
"Harper has campaigned for nearly a decade for an elected Senate. But he not only appointed a senator to cabinet to represent Montreal as the city's political minister, but has also given Fortier, a longtime party organizer, responsibility for the department at the centre of the fundraising scandal that brought down the Liberal government." Ottawa Citizen, Tim Naumetz, March 6, 2006 [click here]
OTTAWA CAN'T FIND $550,000 REPORT
Ottawa — The Chrétien government has paid a company with close Liberal ties a total of $550,000 to produce a report of which no trace can be found, documents obtained by The Globe and Mail show. The report was requested under the Access to Information Act almost two years ago, when it would have been barely one year old. But the federal government has just told The Globe that no one has been able to locate it ever since, either in Ottawa or at the Montreal-based advertising agency Groupaction Marketing Inc., which was awarded the contract. DANIEL LEBLANC AND CAMPBELL CLARK, The Globe and Mail, March 11, 2002.
