QUEBEC - Former Quebec justice minister Marc Bellemare called the Bastarache Commission a "pitiful circus" where lawyers are seeking solely to tarnish his reputation.
Speaking to reporters on his way to testify at the inquiry into the nomination of judges Thursday morning, Bellemare said the prosecutors of the commission, the lawyers for Premier Jean Charest's government and those for the Liberal Party of Quebec have little interest in seeking the truth regarding his allegations of influence peddling.
"The past few days have been difficult for me and my family," Bellemare said in a brief statement to reporters. "But it has also been for tens of thousands of Quebecers watching the commission's work live on television. They are asking themselves what purpose it serves to hold this pitiful circus costing millions of dollars financed by their tax dollars."
Bellemare said that over the past three weeks those lawyers have targeted him with unfair attacks with the tacit approval of the head of the commission, Michel Bastarache.
"I am not claiming to be the greatest justice minister in the history of Quebec," Bellemare said. "But I would like to remind everyone that I was appointed to that position by Jean Charest himself because I am honest and I have integrity. He commended my work on several occasions during my mandate, and when I resigned he asked me to reconsider and remain at my post."
Bellemare was brought back to testify before the commission Thursday a day after an ink expert provided the results of his analysis of a note Bellemare says provides evidence of his allegations that Liberal fund-raisers pressured him to name certain people judges.
Luc Brazeau testified Wednesday that he was unable to ascertain when the note was written, but he did find three different kinds of ink on the note.
Bellemare maintained during his testimony that he wrote the note the evening of his resignation on April 27, 2004, but he was unable to specify what parts of the notes were written when. He repeated that he added certain elements of the note a few days after his resignation, but said it was no later than May 2, 2004.
Commission prosecutor Giuseppe Battista was questioning Bellemare on how many pens he used to write the note and what the sequence was of what he wrote, something that clearly frustrated the former justice minister.
"That's three times, Mr. Battista, that you've asked me the same question," Bellemare said, in a calm yet firm tone. "So I will answer: I cannot tell you or confirm that it was all written at the same time. It may have been written at different times with different pens."
Bellemare's brief testimony was followed by that of Violette Terepanier, the Quebec Liberal Party director of fundraising.
Trepanier said that Franco Fava and Claude Rondeau, the two men Bellemare claims pressured him, raised $93,000 in contributions at a golf tournament in 2002.
The commission announced Thursday that Charest will make his long-awaited appearance at the hearings next week, as will Fava and Rondeau.
