Sponsorship exec channelled $96,400 to PQ, judge finds

A report by a retired judge says the separatist Parti Qubecois received almost $100,000 in disguised contributions from ad exec Jean Brault, who was convicted of fraud in the federal sponsorship scandal.

Marcel Blanchet ordered an investigation into illegal contributions to both the PQ and the Quebec Liberals following revelations at last year's Gomery inquiry into the scandal.

Retired superior court Justice Jean Moisan released his report Wednesday, noting the PQ got $96,400 from Brault's Groupaction ad agency between 1995 and 2000.

Moisan says those funds were funnelled to the PQ by contributions from Groupaction employees who were later reimbursed by Brault.

Although Moisan says PQ party officials knew about the contributions, the report doesn't say PQ politicians were aware of them.

He says the Quebec Liberal party received more than $8,000 in disguised contributions, but weren't aware of them.

The PQ got more money than the Liberals simply because there was a PQ government in power in Quebec at the time.

"Groupaction wanted to have contracts," said Denis Dion, who speaks for the chief electoral officer. "Of course, if you want to have a contract, you're going to work to have it from the government, and not for the party which is in the Opposition. That's why more contribution has been directed to the Parti Qubcois."

Brault also testified to the Gomery inquiry he gave the Liberals $50,000 to help Jean Charest get elected in Sherbrooke, Que., in 1998.

Moisan says he found no concrete proof the Liberals ever received the money.

Although the contributions cited in the report violate the province's electoral law, the chief electoral officer says most of the wrongdoing took place more than five years ago, and that is too long ago for his office to take legal action against those involved.

Brault was sentenced to 18 months in jail after pleading guilty to fraud charges.