Pelletier angry with campaign sponsorship talk
CTV.ca News Staff
June 8, 2004 11:39 PM ET
Jean Pelletier is furious that he's being blamed for the sponsorship scandal, suggesting that he's being made a scapegoat because the Martin election campaign is coming apart.
Pelletier issued a statement Tuesday, expressing anger with comments Public Works Minister Stephen Owen made in an interview with The Globe and Mail last week.
Owen said that Pelletier, who was once Jean Chretien's chief of staff, and Alfonso Gagliano, the former minister of public works, were directly involved in the management of the program. Owen said the two "were clearly involved in a way that circumvented the proper accountability lines."
Both men denied any wrongdoing when they testified before the Commons public accounts committee earlier this year. Prime Minister Paul Martin has not named individuals he believes are responsible for the scandal.
Pelletier is now leaping to his own defence, issuing a formal statement Tuesday that says:
"With reluctance, I find myself obliged today to defend my reputation. Minister Owen's allegations that there may have been some participation or intervention on my part in the management of the Sponsorship Program are false, misleading and groundless."
"I am absolutely astounded by Minister Owen's false allegations."
Pelletier goes on to suggest that he's being asked to foot the blame because of the Liberals' floundering election campaign.
"I understand that in the context of an election campaign, careless words may be spoken. I also understand that when a game plan goes wrong, people tend to look for scapegoats to blame their campaign missteps upon. But I cannot allow anyone to deliberately attack my reputation without defending myself."
He adds that he hopes that Martin will ask Cabinet members and candidates "to behave more appropriately in this matter."
Pelletier is threatening legal action. Owen said Tuesday he stands by what he said.
"The facts speak for themselves," Owen told reporters. "If Mr. Pelletier pursues litigation against me or anyone else in this government, we'll answer his concerns in court."
Martin was asked Tuesday whether he thought Pelletier issued the statement to try to gain some revenge for his firing. Martin dodged the question.
"Oh, I'm really not in any kind of a position to comment on why anybody does anything, anybody else's motives," he responded.
"Let me just say to you that as far as I'm concerned, comments on this whole matter, now that the Gomery commission is underway, ought to be really done within the context of that commission. That's where they belong."
A judicial inquiry headed by Justice John Gomery won't start hearing witnesses until September. Pelletier is among those seeking standing at the hearings.