"I know nothing"

Is there anybody in this country that still believes Jean Chretien knew nothing of the monumental abuse of public funds by the Liberals involved with the sponsorship program? Our former PM’s self-serving assertion he knew nothing defies reality and common sense.

1. Chretien has stated that the sponsorship program was of the utmost importance, as it was conceived in order to “save the country”. How could the man in charge of that country know as little about the program as he professes to?

2. Chretien comes from Quebec and prides himself on having the pulse of that province. How could his extensive machine there have no idea of what was going on?

3. Jean Brault, whose dramatic testimony at the sponsorship inquiry has rocked the country, donated $30,000 to Chretien's 1993 campaign in the hopes of landing future federal contracts. Surely Chretien would have taken notice of such a notable donor.

4. Chretien’s older brother, Gaby, solicited a $4,000 donation from Brault by agreeing to submit a false invoice. And Brault says he was brow-beaten into hiring Chretien's niece by a friend of the prime minister. Somehow, Chretien’s close relatives have a close connection with Brault, yet Chretien knows nothing about the millions flowing into companies owned by Brault and other Liberal loyalists?

5. Former Groupaction employee Alain Renaud said he had the ear of Jean Pelletier, Chretien's chief of staff from 1993 to 2001. Renaud said Chretien's one-time riding organizer, Michel Beliveau, was the point man between himself and Pelletier, a good friend of Chretien, whenever Groupaction sought more sponsorship contracts. In other words, Chretien's inner circle may have had control over sponsorship dollars now tainted by allegations $1.1 million was redirected into Liberal coffers. How could this salient fact escape the virgin ears of the man at the top?

Chretien’s sanctimonious denials are reminiscent of the self-serving mantra made famous by Sergeant Schultz, the fearful camp guard on Hogan’s Heroes, who knows what's going on but sees "nussink"!

Seargent Schultz and Chretien: separated at birth?