Winnipeg Free Press

Winnipeg Free Press (Newspaper) - April 15, 2005, Winnipeg, Manitoba O be More reason to choose Del High Speed internet service from its. Del High Speed internet service is faster than Ever. Experience the fast paced thrill of Del High Speed internet service from its. Not Only is it downright fast you get free professional installation and theress no charge for the Modem. Plus you enjoy All the benefits of internet Security tools like email spam filter and email virus scan. And of course 24/ 7 tech support. Get the plan that suits you no matter what Speed features and pricing you need. Call 1 877 net 4all its. Ca or visit your nearest its connect store or its dealer. Or Check out the new and easier to use its. Ca. Claim based on Independent customer polling results from August and september 2004. Del internet service is available in a growing number of areas of Manitoba. Offer available to new Del High Speed internet customers Only Defi Ned As customers who have not had a Del High Speed internet plan from its in the past 3 months and is a time limited offer. Other conditions apply. 1 877 net 4 All and its design Mark Are registered trademarks of Manitoba telecoms services inc., both used under License. F i r s t 8 months 28 88 a m o n t h by Philip Authier m ont real a Liberal crony of former prime minister Jean Chretien who pocketed millions in sponsorship Money has warned the Gomery commission hers becoming forgetful and it could affect his testimony. Jacques Corriveau revealed on his first Day of testimony that he had 4 1/ 2 hours of surgery nov. 22 that included aesthetic so there Are some past events he May not be Able to recall. Even before the surgery his memory was not As Good As it could be Corriveau 72, told the commission. I can explain Corriveau said yesterday when asked by Lead commission counsel Bernard Roy Why he seems to remember some things that happened 40 years ago with great accuracy and not How Many times he called the prime minister in 1997. I have a Friend who is very close to me who suffers from alzheimer res. I am aware of this problem. Even in my own Circle people Are noticing that i have a memory problem. I know you May doubt this but there Are things which i would like to be Able to Tell you from memory but it is not possible. Memory problems have become a common theme at the commission As it looks into the $ 250 million sponsorship program that a group of liberals profited from. Lafleur communications president Jean Lafleur said he remember the companion on a fishing trip for whom he bought a $ 1,300 fishing Rod for which he later billed the government under the sponsorship program. This week Liberal organizer Alain Renaud announced he lost All of his Agenda books which included dates and names of people he met in a flood. Yesterday Corriveau said he shredded his Agenda books every month. He had trouble remembering How often he spoke to Chretien until Roy produced phone records from the prime ministers office that showed they had spoken 21 times Between 1996 and 2002. Asked about a notation in group action Jean by aults Agenda Book showing him at a meeting of sponsorship High rollers a meeting that included Renaud and Charles Guitz the civil servant who ran the program Corriveau said he could not remember if he was there although he does remember meeting Guitz. But Corriveau also Felt the need to Correct certain perceptions downplaying his links to Chretien even though he was instrumental in his leadership campaigns and Chretien himself has called him a Friend. Corriveau said he saw Chretien about once or twice a year but considers him just a Friend. He said they first met in 1976 on a Trade Mission to Iran. He said he has been a Liberal for 40 years. Corriveau also challenged testimony from liberals who say he leaned on them to give Money to the Liberal party to help the cause by saying the expression Isnit in his vocabulary. He did not however contest some of the phenomenal increases in revenues his firm experienced in the years Canada held Federal elections. Documents released yesterday showed Pluri designs revenues shot up to $ 2 million in 1998 from $ 144,000 in 1993. Also yesterday officials said even if an election is called the commission will continue unless a decree is issued. Can West news service More election coverage a18 by Martin Ohanlon Ottawa it took a few tries but Paul Martin finally denied Ever lunching with a key player in the sponsorship scandal sort of. The prime ministers attempt yesterday to dismiss opposition efforts to tie him directly to the sponsorship scandal left Many unconvinced. At Issue is whether he Ever had lunch with Claude Boulay head of Liberal Friendly and firm Groupe Everest which received big government sponsorship contracts. Martin who ducked opposition questions about the matter wednesday in the House of commons told reporters yesterday he never dined with Boulay at least not to discuss contracts. Pressed to be More categorical he then said he never had lunch with Boulay after forming government. Finally he said he recall Ever lunching with Boulay at All i do not remember having any lunch with or. Boulay but i did make his acquaintance at the beginning of the leadership in 1990, but it did not last for Long. Conservatives jumped on Martins apparent evasiveness. Every time he would answer there was sort of a Little caveat said my Monte Solberg. It really left people with the impression that he was not being completely forthcoming. On wednesday tory Leader Stephen Harper had asked Martin in the commons specifically if he had lunched with Boulay but Martin dodged the question. The conservatives then suggested Martin May have perjured himself before the sponsorship inquiry in february. Martin had told the inquiry that Boulay was an acquaintance who helped briefly with his 1990 leadership Campaign. The prime minister was asked do you recall any meeting or get together of any significance beyond a casual How do you do he replied no no. The conservatives said that response conflicted with testimony at the inquiry this week from Alain Renaud a Liberal organizer and group action employee implicated in the sponsorship scandal. Renaud said he overheard Boulay and his wife pushing Martin for an attractions Canada contract during lunch at a Liberal convention. As Martin tried to Calm the Boulay storm his beleaguered liberals got a Welcome bit of Good news. My Pat Obrien who had been musing about leaving the party announced yesterday that hers staying. Obrien said his main concern was the governments efforts to push through same sex marriage legislation which he opposes. He added hers satisfied with an Assurance from Martin of full Public hearings on the Gay marriage Bill and he will continue his fight within the Liberal family. Canadian press the g Omery i inquiry liberals under siege w Winnipeg f ree p Reissf Vidaya pril 15, 2005 a17 i know you May doubt this but there Are things which i would like to be Able to Tell you from memory but it is not possible Jacques Corriveau Paul Chiasson / Canadian press Jacques Corriveau says former pm Chretien is just a Friend Chretien crony says memory yes a problem Corriveau 72, warns inquiry he cant recall everything pm denies dining with Boulay Well sort of ;