Mr. Speaker, according to reports in 1999 the sponsorship program turned down a $600,000 application from Internationaux du Sport de Montréal headed by Serge Savard, a leadership fundraiser of the Prime Minister's. The office of the finance minister, now the Prime Minister, called Alfonso Gagliano's office to see why this group never received the $600,000. Following that intervention this group received $250,000.
Could the minister tell the House if the Prime Minister was aware of this political direction given by his office and when he was made aware of it?