Chretien plays hardball in inquiry testimony

CTV.ca News

Ending his testimony before the Gomery Inquiry, former prime minister Jean Chretien pulled out some props to defend his reputation -- a collection of customized golf balls given to him by U.S. presidents and other world leaders.

The inquiry's Justice John Gomery drew the ire of Chretien when he told a newspaper in December that golf balls with Chretien's initials, which cost the sponsorship program $1,200, were "small-town cheap."

Chretien pulled out of his briefcase similar initialized golf balls he had received from U.S. President George W. Bush, former president Bill Clinton (both with presidential seals), and the former president of the Philippines.

For his grande finale, he showed off a golf ball with the insignia of Ogilvy Renault -- the Montreal law firm that counts among its partners inquiry chief counsel Bernard Roy, former prime minister Brian Mulroney, and Gomery's daughter.

"Ogilvie Renault, you know, Mr. Roy and Mr. Mulroney and Madame Gomery are all members of that firm," Chretien quipped. "You cannot call them small town. And to call them Westmount cheap, it would be an oxymoron."

Gomery adjourned the hearing as soon as the golf ball display wrapped up, saying it would reconvene Thursday.

That show-off ending followed a day of combative testimony, in which Chretien defended the sponsorship program's intentions and said if there was wrongdoing, it should be exposed. He revealed little about the inner workings of the program.

The unity card

Chretien said he "regrets" any mistakes made in the sponsorship file, but told the Gomery inquiry the program was necessary to national unity.

Chretien said the federal government needed to ensure that another referendum would not follow the 1995 vote, which almost resulted in the separation of Quebec.

He admits the program wasn't perfect.

"I regret any mistakes that were made in the course of this program, or any other government program," Chretien said in a prepared statement he read to the inquiry.

"As prime minister, I take ultimate responsibility for everything good and everything bad that happens in the government."

Chretien said while he created the program, he did not manage it. He reiterated that if any "unscrupulous" person used the sponsorship program or any other government program to "line their pockets", they should be punished.

"They should be found out and put in jail," Chretien said.

Chretien is expected to spend two days on the stand, answering questions about the $250-million program that he signed off on in 1997, along with former public works minister Alfonso Gagliano.

According to a report by Auditor General Sheila Fraser, about $100 million of the total funds for the program ended up in the pockets of Liberal-friendly ad firms for work of little or no value.

"I am firmly convinced that our national unity strategy was necessary and right," Chretien said Tuesday. "Were mistakes made in everything we did? I am sure there were. After all, we are human."

Chretien wrapped up his opening statement by saying that when he retired, Canada's books were balanced, and the threat of sovereignty had faded away.

"After 40 years of serving my country, I know that I have done my job to the best of my abilities."