Agent of the Attorney General for the Recovery of Funds

In March 2005, the Government retained M^e Sylvain Lussier's services to manage the civil litigation filed before the Quebec Superior Court to recover the funds associated with the Sponsorship Program. A team of lawyers from the Department of Justice is assisting him.

This arrangement capitalized on M^e Lussier's experience as the lead Crown Counsel representing the federal government before the Gomery Commission. To ensure a smooth transition to transfer the information and the related files, the Government of Canada (GoC) continued to work with Mr. Gauthier, the Special Counsel for Financial Recovery, until April 22, 2005.

M^e Lussier has been mandated to:

• pursue the recovery of funds illegitimately received under the Sponsorship Program;
• litigate the Attorney General of Canada's lawsuit to recover sponsorship funds;
• add further allegations and claims to the lawsuit that seeks to recover funds which may have been received illegitimately under the Sponsorship Program as facts come to light in other contexts (e.g. Gomery Commission);
• act for the Attorney General of Canada in lawsuits brought by communication agencies from which the Attorney General of Canada is attempting to recover funds; and
• explore avenues to recover funds from the defendants prior to trial.

All new evidence presented or emerging from the Gomery Commission and/or other investigations will be assessed and reviewed carefully by M^e Lussier and his team to determine if additional claims and/or names should be added to the Statement of Claim.