Chretien wins Federal Court battle to set aside Gomery findings

STATEMENT FROM THE LIBERAL PARTY OF CANADA ON THE FEDERAL COURT DECISION TO SET ASIDE GOMERY FINDINGS

The Liberal Party of Canada has always held that the judicial process should be allowed to take its course with regards to the sponsorship program, and we are extremely pleased that former Prime Minister Jean Chrétien and his former Chief of Staff Jean Pelletier have been completely cleared by the Federal Court.

Though Judge Gomery’s report itself stated that there was no evidence Mr. Chrétien and Mr. Pelletier were involved, today’s decision by Judge Max Teitelbaum of the Federal Court removes any lingering hint of impropriety, and is a reminder that no elected officials were ever charged with wrongdoing in the federal sponsorship program.

We wish to thank Mr. Chrétien and Mr. Pelletier for their lifelong commitment to our great country and to the Liberal Party of Canada.

CP NEWSWIRE STORY FOLLOWS:


June 26, 2008
Joan Bryden, THE CANADIAN PRESS

OTTAWA - Former prime minister Jean Chretien is "obviously very gratified and very happy" about a Federal Court decision today that struck down parts of Justice John Gomery's report into the sponsorship scandal.

Eddie Goldenberg, Chretien's former chief of staff, said the former prime minister sees the ruling as a "total vindication." Goldenberg said he spoke earlier today to Chretien, who is attending a meeting with his wife Aline in Stockholm.

The Federal Court struck down Gomery's 2005 finding that Chretien and his top aide bore some responsibility for the federal sponsorship scandal that rocked the Liberal government.

Justice Max Teitelbaum ruled that Gomery's inappropriate comments to the media throughout the hearings into the scandal betrayed bias against Chretien and his chief of staff, Jean Pelletier.

Gomery said today he had not yet read the judgment, but that he had not made up his mind during the hearings and was impartial throughout.

"I made a lot of declarations," the retired judge said in an interview. "I had not decided anything at the time. I considered myself impartial."

Goldenberg said the Gomery report unnecessarily damaged Canadian unity, undermined trust in institutions and hurt the reputation of the Liberal party.

He added that Pelletier, who suffered ill health because of Gomery, should receive an apology from former prime minister Paul Martin, who established the inquiry.

Teitelbaum's ruling said "the comments made by the commissioner, viewed cumulatively, not only indicate that he prejudged issues but also that the commissioner was not impartial toward the applicant (Chretien)."

Moreover, Teitelbaum said Gomery's zeal to remain in the media spotlight trivialized the proceedings and tainted the perception of fairness.

"I agree with the applicant (Chretien) that the commissioner became preoccupied with ensuring that the spotlight of the media remained on the commission's inquiry and he went to great lengths to ensure that the public's interest in the commission did not wane," Teitelbaum wrote in a 51-page ruling.

"This preoccupation with the media outside the hearing room had a detrimental impact on the fairness of the proceedings."

Teitelbaum set aside the portion of Gomery's Nov. 1, 2005, report that said Chretien and Pelletier were to blame for "omissions" in their direction of the sponsorship program that led to wrongdoing.

Gomery, however, also ruled there was no evidence Chretien and Pelletier were "in any way" involved in a kickback scheme that a senior Liberal in the province supervised and which resulted in $1.1 million of government sponsorship money being diverted to the Quebec wing of the Liberal party.