April 06, 2005
MONTREAL -- A judge has ruled the sponsorship trial of Jean Brault and Chuck Guite will go ahead on June 6, meaning a publication ban on potentially devastating testimony from the Gomery commission might not be lifted.
Lawyers for the two men had requested a delay in the trial until September after arguing they didn't have enough time to prepare for a trial in May. They had also argued their clients wouldn't get a fair trial.
Quebec Superior Court Justice Lise Cote's ruling Wednesday might prompt Justice John Gomery to maintain the publication ban on testimony he has heard from Brault at the federal sponsorship inquiry.
Brault is the former owner of Groupaction, one of the advertising firms at the heart of the $250-million sponsorship program that saw $100 million go to Liberal-friendly agencies that did little or no work for the money.
Details of his testimony have leaked out on a U.S.-based web log, sparking rumours that all federal parties are getting ready for an election campaign that would focus heavily on corruption.
Gomery issued the publication ban because of fears publicity from Brault's testimony would jeopardize his chances of a fair trial on charges of fraud and conspiracy.
Brault is to stand trial with Guite, the bureaucrat responsible for running the sponsorship program in the 1990s.
Jury selection in the trial of Brault and Guite had been scheduled to begin on May 2.
The men allegedly defrauded the federal government of nearly $2 million.
Brault's lawyer, Harvey Yarosky, asked for the September date because he believes his client would not get a fair trial in May.
Yarosky noted the testimony of other witnesses who will follow Brault at the inquiry will not be subject to a publication ban.
That, he argued, could hurt his client if jury selection begins next month.
Yarosky had said a trial in September would be over by the time Gomery files his preliminary report in November.
Guite is expected to testify at the inquiry later this month.
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