123 replies to this topic

[GL*]

Story at the Toronto Star

[StickShift]

"including that she heard Jacques Villeneuve was secretly paid $12 million US to wear the Canada logo on his racing suit."

What credible testimony.

[BRNDLL]

I am no Checques fan but this is sensationalist garbage. She sounds like she is pissed off she lost her job and is screaming from the rooftops.

The article doesnt have any facts in it.

bb

[StickShift]

If you really wanted a sensationalized story, the thread title here would've been:

Villeneuve has $12 million USD in sponsorship money; Still searching for F1 ride.

[GL*]

This isn't sensationalist garbage. She has been proven to have been right with her recent allegations. There is a scandal involving the Canadian Federal Government and companies in Quebec in which money was funneled to various friends of some government officials under the guise of promoting federalism in Quebec. Services were over-charged, or payments were made on services never rendered. If you put this story into context, I am inclined to believe it.

And I am a Villeneuve fan who frowned on others who used the nickname "Cheques". So I'm not just posting this to promote some trolling agenda.

[weasle]

Originally posted by BRNDLL
I am no Checques fan but this is sensationalist garbage. She sounds like she is pissed off she lost her job and is screaming from the rooftops.

The article doesnt have any facts in it.

bb

ya i agree and if she really said those things shes opened herself up to a lawsuit from JVi. (if the allegations are false).

[Scudetto]

Her statement is hearsay upon hearsay. Until this "Jean-Marc St. Pierre" steps forward with documentation and provides sworn testimony, what she said has no probative value.

[StickShift]

In the other scandalous cases she's revealed, she's had some sort of proof though, another lead or something. In this case, I don't think eavesdropping on a conversation is evidence.

[Rene]

I seriously doubt this is true....but if so, hardly anything wrong from JV's part...

[chris_canuk]

Knowing the Canadian Federal Liberals, it's probably true. As an F1 / JVi fan, my real concern is how it reflects on F1 and JVi. Specifically, is JVi guilty of any wrongdoing or was he just greedy?

As a Canadian, I am offended if this is true. Were I in JVi's position, I would have worn the patch for nothing. If this turns out to be true I will no longer be a JVi fan.

[Berner]

Bedard is the Martha Stewart of biathalon. Oh sorry Martha, you are nice to your dogs.

[StickShift]

JV wouldn't be guilty at all. I doubt he has *very* little to do with signing and negotiating any sponsorship deals. It all probably goes through his management and Pollock.

By the way, that $12million USD figure sounds very suspicous. Even over multiple years, that number would be ludicrously high for just a small logo on a drivers suit.

[chris_canuk]

Actually, from a logic perspective, the whole thing doesn't make much sense. There's a Canadian flag on his car that's much more visible than any patch on his suit. And as far as F1 & F1 drivers promoting any country, I haven't seen much evidence of it other than what takes place around the host cities of the GP's.

[SlateGray]

See the 97 suit here

Some real facts would be nice. In place of "I heard someone"

If true Jacques has lost a fan!

If untrue he should sue for slander!

As others have already said. I would proudly wear the flag and never even think about $$$ for the pleasure / privilege of sporting the Maple Leaf

[GadgetMan]

Originally posted by weasle


ya i agree and if she really said those things shes opened herself up to a lawsuit from JVi. (if the allegations are false).

How about the company she said might have been involved in drug dealing... Talk about lawsuit...

GadgetMan

[milliepuppy]

The only place the flag appears on that suit is on his belt ...........

[Williams]

Even if true that Villeneuve was paid from such a fund, it doesn't mean that he did something wrong. That would have been a legitimate commercial deal from his viewpoint. Villeneuve was under no obligation to conduct an audit as to where the money came from or how the transaction was handled within the organization of his client (the Canadian government).

The roots of this scandal is that money for possibly legitimate services was passed from the government through a number of middle-man organizations who received enormous commissions from the gov't for doing nothing other than passing along government money. The wrongdoing here is people receiving gov't money without adding value or providing a service in return.

If Villeneuve was a recipient of the some of the money from the slush fund, he is exactly like many others who received money for legitimate services, but which money was funneled through an illegal skimming operation run by the Liberal Party for the benefit of their friends. Villeneuve himself did nothing wrong, but unfortunately his name is now being splattered by this scandal.

[MaxScelerate]

Looked at a few pictures from last year and that previous... I'm yet to find any canadian flag so either a) The story's Bedard heard is a fabrication, b) Jacques is even more of a thief than any troll could have imagined or c) I'm not looking hard enough.

[Senninha2000]

I fail to see the problem here? Yeah, I'm a JV fan, but I still wouldn't care, even if it were Barrichello..

So he may or may not have been paid US$12m to wear a thingy on his suit... if so, good for him. How does this mean that he's done anything wrong?

Who knows, he may have worn the patch for substantially less or even nothing... but how many of you would turn down the money to do it anyway when it's already been offered?

I sure as **** wouldn't

[behemoth]

Originally posted by BRNDLL
I am no Checques fan but this is sensationalist garbage. She sounds like she is pissed off she lost her job and is screaming from the rooftops.

The article doesnt have any facts in it.

bb

She's testifying before a parliamentary committee. That's not exactly "screaming from the rooftops."

[scheivlak]

Originally posted by MaxScelerate
Looked at a few pictures from last year and that previous... I'm yet to find any canadian flag so either a) The story's Bedard heard is a fabrication, b) Jacques is even more of a thief than any troll could have imagined or c) I'm not looking hard enough.

Bedard talks about "1997 or 1998"....

[chris_canuk]

Originally posted by SlateGray
If untrue he should sue for slander!

Who's he going to sue. Myriam Bedard says she heard is from someone else. She repeating something, not making the accusation.

Maybe she's an MS fan.

[bear]

She has Parliamentary protection when testifying she can't be sued for anything said before this committee.

mark

[oarlock]

I believe all F1 Driver suits have the driver's national flag and name on them... (for example Nelson Piquet driver's suit from 1990 Nelson Piquet 1990 Race Suit
Jacques was part of "a visit Quebec campaign" in 00 & 01 during the USGP...

As far as the amount paid - CP would know...

[Raelene]

big deal

he wasn't racing for his country - so if someone wants him to wear the flag - they should pay him.

[dubmode]

"$12 million (U.S.) in payments to race car driver Jacques Villeneuve to wear the Canada logo on his uniform."

'Canada logo' is the key word many seem to be overlooking here. All drivers have their country's flag embroidered on the belt of their overalls. I'm guessing Canada paid to have their logo on his suit:


Regardless, why is everyone coming down hard on JV? Is it his fault that the spend-happy Liberals threw $12million in his face (supposedly) to put their logo on probably our nation's most internationally recognizable sporting figure? I know I for one wouldn't exactly sneeze at that offer if it was presented to me. If anyone should be blamed here, it should be the government for flushing taxpayers money down the toilet.

[chris_canuk]

Originally posted by dubmode
"$12 million (U.S.) in payments to race car driver Jacques Villeneuve to wear the Canada logo on his uniform."

'Canada logo' is the key word many seem to be overlooking here. All drivers have their country's flag embroidered on the belt of their overalls. I'm guessing Canada paid to have their logo on his suit:


Regardless, why is everyone coming down hard on JV? Is it his fault that the spend-happy Liberals threw $12million in his face (supposedly) to put their logo on probably our nation's most internationally recognizable sporting figure? I know I for one wouldn't exactly sneeze at that offer if it was presented to me. If anyone should be blamed here, it should be the government for flushing taxpayers money down the toilet.

I don't know about anyone else, but if the allegations are true, as a Canadian I would be appalled. Whether or not I was racing for "Team Canada", I would still consider it an honour to wear my country's colours on the international stage.

And yes, the Liberals are ultimately to blame.

[GadgetMan]

RDS says on its Web site that they have looked at every event in which Villeneuve has been racing from 1997 to 2003 and did not see the Canadian logo on his uniform or helmet one single time. Moreover, they have contacted Myriam Bédard's old agent, whom she said told her about this so-called sponsorship, and the latter indicated to RDS that he never said any such thing to the lady...

I think Mrs Bédard went too far this time... I had great respect and admiration for what she has achieved, pretty much left to her own, against the bureaucracy of the Canadian Olympic team. But, I think she should leave the public talking to a PR agent or even better, an attorney...

GadgetMan

[alesifan46]

PEOPLE PEOPLE...unless you really know CANADA..this is part of a "multi-culturism" guise that SUCKS money out of the taxpayers pockets...and it(the money) mostly goes EAST rather than WEST..cuz we all just wear cowboy boots and cowboy hats out here!!!!!!!! ...anyways...they've farked away more MONEY than that on Adrienne Clarkson's choice of CARPET!!!!!!!..perhaps the Canadian Government figured it needed to show some SPONSORSHIP in F1...12 million for 8 years isn't that bad!!..Wonder how much MONEY PROFESSIONAL HOCKEY teams have recieved???or the FOOTBALL TEAMS??...anyways..so far it is all hearsay!!...Villy for Williams 2005

PS:..Villy did open a restaurant called NEWTOWN...and he EMPLOYS locals!! so..whassa madder wit dat???

[Rene]

Originally posted by bear
She has Parliamentary protection when testifying she can't be sued for anything said before this committee.

mark

Not true, only things said in Parliament itself are protected, anything said in any committee is unprotected, unless a witness is given immunity prior to testifying....

[Rene]

Since I am too lazy to dig for the right thread....

"Suite à des discussions avec Bernie Ecclestone, un proche de Jacques aurait confié à un animateur d'une station de radio de la ville de Québec que le pilote serait de retour en F1 au Grand Prix du Canada à Montréal en 2004."

Following discussions with Bernie Ecclestone, a close friend of Jacques Villeneuve would have confided to a radio station located in Quebec City, that the driver would return to F1 at the Canadian Grand Prix.

This is the report going on in Montreal today....

[metz]

Originally posted by Raelene
big deal

he wasn't racing for his country - so if someone wants him to wear the flag - they should pay him.

What crap...
Every time a driver wins a race they play his national anthem.
Why,? if they are not racing for their country.?

[Vilenova]

Rene!
I will never forget where I was the day I sat spellbound in front of the TV watching Olivier Panis driving through the pits apparently for no reason other than to give his Toyota mechanics the finger. - Mr Bolshevik

Best sig ever.

[Crazy Canuck]

Why is this any different from the 'Visit Malaysia' text on the side of a Sauber or on the Stewart cars of the past? This hole deal is about the Feds wasting tax money and, as previuosly stated, middle men [i.e. Cretians cronies] getting huge commisions for doing nothing. Most driver have their flag on thier suit but this isn't about a flag it concerns the use of the 'Canada' symbol. JV didn't do anything wrong. You don't see MS walking around with 'Visit Germany' on his suit for free, but I'm sure he'd do it for a lot more than $12mil.

CC

[velo]

I am unsre whether or not I believe her testimony. Bedard is definitely upset about losing her job at Via plus the $150 000 she testified that she is owed for a cartoon she made that was sponsored by the Film Board of Canada. Also, she made accusations about drug money laundering.....
So, on top of that with the whole JV thing, to me it just all seems too incredible. But what does she have to gain from lying? On other hand, I would put NOTHING past the Liberal government, so, I'm just not sure what to believe anymore, other than that Canada needs new leadership!

[KenC]

"As for the supposed $12 million payment to Villeneuve, Bedard said her agent told her the figure during a conversation at the 1997 or 1998 Montreal Grand Prix.

"I was told this was top secret," she said.

But again, she could provide no further information and said she didn't know if the money was paid under the sponsorship program."

Uhm, at least get her to remember which year it was, sheesh. Didn't Jacques wear blue in 97 and red in 98? It should have been easy to figure out what year it was.

What really strikes one as silly is that JV was reputedly paid in US dollars! Holy cr*p, shouldn't they have at least paid him in Canadian dollars, even if that meant paying him 16million Canadian?

[ratmac]

Originally posted by Rene
Since I am too lazy to dig for the right thread....

"Suite à des discussions avec Bernie Ecclestone, un proche de Jacques aurait confié à un animateur d'une station de radio de la ville de Québec que le pilote serait de retour en F1 au Grand Prix du Canada à Montréal en 2004."

Following discussions with Bernie Ecclestone, a close friend of Jacques Villeneuve would have confided to a radio station located in Quebec City, that the driver would return to F1 at the Canadian Grand Prix.

This is the report going on in Montreal today....

i wonder if it would be:
a) driving a racecar
b) with a signed contract for 2005
c) just watching the race and doing some pr stuff.

hopefully the answers are a or b.

[Rene]

Originally posted by ratmac


i wonder if it would be:
a) driving a racecar
b) with a signed contract for 2005
c) just watching the race and doing some pr stuff.

hopefully the answers are a or b.

Who knows : Could be wishful thinking....but I grasp at all of the straws

[gp19]

This is what we call ((HEARSAY)) in my line of business!!!!!

GP19

[GL*]

Originally posted by KenC
"As for the supposed $12 million payment to Villeneuve, Bedard said her agent told her the figure during a conversation at the 1997 or 1998 Montreal Grand Prix.

"I was told this was top secret," she said.

But again, she could provide no further information and said she didn't know if the money was paid under the sponsorship program."

Uhm, at least get her to remember which year it was, sheesh. Didn't Jacques wear blue in 97 and red in 98? It should have been easy to figure out what year it was.

What really strikes one as silly is that JV was reputedly paid in US dollars! Holy cr*p, shouldn't they have at least paid him in Canadian dollars, even if that meant paying him 16million Canadian?

Bedard didn't say this happened in 1997 or 1998. She said she was told about it in 1997 or 1998. For all we know this could have happened in 1996 or in Villeneuve's stint with CART. Obviously there are few details to work from, but we're all leaping to conclusions because of it. As far as I'm concerned there are a few possibilities:

1) Bedard was told a fat lie or is lying.
2) Villeneuve wore the logo in an event nobody is looking at (i.e. non-race sponsorship events, his party in Quebec after winning the WDC in 1997, etc).
3) Villeneuve was paid but never wore the logo (i.e. this was a blatant cash grab that went into the books as being a sponsorship deal)

1 is the most simple explanation and therefore, some would argue would be the most probable. 2 is not out of the question. 3 is unlikely and the only one that would really make me question Villeneuve's character if he knew about it. The only reason I am not dismissing #2 is because the Canada logo does already appear at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve and so it is not unreasonable to suggest a Canadian driver, especially one admired by many Canadians regardless of political ties, would sport the logo too.

[mach3]

Originally posted by Crazy Canuck
Why is this any different from the 'Visit Malaysia' text on the side of a Sauber or on the Stewart cars of the past? This hole deal is about the Feds wasting tax money and, as previuosly stated, middle men [i.e. Cretians cronies] getting huge commisions for doing nothing. Most driver have their flag on thier suit but this isn't about a flag it concerns the use of the 'Canada' symbol. JV didn't do anything wrong. You don't see MS walking around with 'Visit Germany' on his suit for free, but I'm sure he'd do it for a lot more than $12mil.

CC

If the feds indeed spent our hard earned money for this purpose, couldn't they have found a better ambassador for Canada than Jacques. Greg Moore or Paul Tracy would have been much better... they aat least have some good things to say about their country. But alas they are not from Quebec and we Canadians know that money does not flow west (or east for that matter) of the Quebec border.

[BRG]

Originally posted by mach3
Paul Tracy would have been much better...

Poor Canada! If the choice of motor sporting champion lies between the sulky and avaricious Jacques and the dim and belligerent Paul, it might be better if Cananda was not represented in top level motor sport at all.

But maybe the real reason why no-one can find any sign of "Canada" sponsorship on Jacques suit is that they were paying him $12m as long as he DIDN'T associate himself with Canada.

[Crazy Canuck]

Originally posted by mach3


If the feds indeed spent our hard earned money for this purpose, couldn't they have found a better ambassador for Canada than Jacques. Greg Moore or Paul Tracy would have been much better... they aat least have some good things to say about their country. But alas they are not from Quebec and we Canadians know that money does not flow west (or east for that matter) of the Quebec border.

You got that right, PT and GM are not Frech, so no soup for you! I'm from the east coast (orginally) and it was terribly eveident from within our box that the cash flow stopped in Rivier-de-Loup.

CC

[ehagar]

The problem weith this allegaton is I can never, ever remember Jacques wearing the government of Canada logo on his racesuit.

So... if true, the scandal here is that the federal money didn't get the service it paid for, which is exaclt what this sponsorship scandal is about. There are some middlemen distributing the money pocketing cash.

More likely, it is absolutley false. A more likely scenario is that the Federal government gave money for those billboards that were seen at Toronto, Montreal, Vancouver, Trois Riviers for the Formula Atlantic, CART and F-1 races.

[_bigbadbob_]

I just heard a discussion with L. Ian Macdonald on CJAD 800AM in Montreal. Macdonald is a very respected political analyst and writes for the Montreal Gazette in addition to speaking on the radio and appearing on television.

He pointed out something very important, right after he called the accusations heresay. He said that, upon being contacted by the media, Bedard's agent said that he told Bedard, "it would cost $12 million" to have a Canadian flag on JV racing suit. WOULD is quite different DID.

Maybe the following comment would be more appropriate in the Paddock Club, but since the thread's in RC, I'll write it and hope someone actually carres to read it It's unfortunate what her comments will mean for her credibility. As recently as a few days ago, Bedard had the entire country's support. She was fired from her job for discovering a scandal, and everyone wanted to hear what she had to say. IN ADDITION to giving solid facts that can and have been backed up, she threw out the JV allegation and another regarding DRUG DEALING involving one of the advertisement at the heart of the scandal.

Unfortunately, her mistaken statements will certainly affect her credibility for the worse.

Originally posted by alesifan46
PS:..Villy did open a restaurant called NEWTOWN...and he EMPLOYS locals!! so..whassa madder wit dat???

He's no longer associated with that restaurant.

[SlateGray]

Story in the Globe & Mail

Ms. Bédard said that at the Montreal Grand Prix in 1997, she was told by her then-agent that the star driver was making millions to wear the Canada logo on his chest. Reached late yesterday, the agent, Jean-Marc St-Pierre, said he told her merely that it would likely cost any sponsor $10- or $12-million to place a logo on Mr. Villeneuve.

"From there to put words in my mouth that he had a secret $12-million secret fund . . . is unbelievable," he said in an interview. "I can swear on the Bible that I didn't say Jacques Villeneuve got secret funds of $12-million. . . ."

Without elaborating, she also suggested to the inquiry that her husband influenced Mr. Chrétien's decision about the Iraq war.

If I am not mistaken she also invented the internet!;)

[mach3]

Originally posted by BRG
Poor Canada! If the choice of motor sporting champion lies between the sulky and avaricious Jacques and the dim and belligerent Paul, it might be better if Cananda was not represented in top level motor sport at all.

But maybe the real reason why no-one can find any sign of "Canada" sponsorship on Jacques suit is that they were paying him $12m as long as he DIDN'T associate himself with Canada.

Apparently we tried to bribe Damon Hill to become Canadian but that didn't work either. What a step up that would have been for us poor Canadians.
The real reason no-one can find any sign of "Canada" sponsorship on Jacques' suit was that he actually had a "Cananda" logo. Thus all the confusion.

[andrimitum]

I woke up this morning to this News Story on the Radio.....

More money disapears form government coffers...

Apparently 12 Million was allocated for F1 Driver Jaques Villenuevue to wear the Canadian logo on his racing uniform.

However Jaques was actually only paid $1,400.00, the question remains where the rest of the 12 million went to.

For those of you who are not up on Canadian news, some government officails have been making money disapear by funneling it through advertising and sponsorship campaigns.

[GadgetMan]

Originally posted by bear
She has Parliamentary protection when testifying she can't be sued for anything said before this committee.

mark

That's also my understanding.

To underscore this point, Myriam Bédard refused to repeat her allegations in front of journalists outside the committee. I used to have a lot of respect for her but I'm starting to ask myself if her mental abilities have started to seriously degrade... She sure comes out like a very frustrated person desperate to get the media attention she once had...

Moreover, the guy she said gave her the information about Villeneuve denied on RDS yesterday ever having said such a thing to her and adding he had no idea about Villeneuve's affairs and never did. RDS did a search on Villeneuve's race suit, helmet or anything else and never found any indication of the Canadian flag or a logo representing Canada between 1997 and 2003.

This is very unfortunate. Myriam Bédard should have consulted a lawyer before coming up with such gratuitous allegations. She completely outdid herself on this score. Now, if you visit F1 related web sites, everybody is smearing Villeneuve. Planet-F1 for instance, is using this to say that first, Villeneuve abandoned pride for money in signing for BAR in 1999 and then took an exra $12M US in nebulous circumstances to sport the Canadian logo/flag. Only the last line of their misleading headline title mentions that the guy who would have said that to Bédard denied ever saying such a thing.

GadgetMan

[Rene]

Originally posted by GadgetMan
Only the last line of their misleading headline title mentions that the guy who would have said that to Bédard denied ever saying such a thing.

I think this is symptomatic of internet joournalism (except for Atlasf1 of course) dog piling on a story, with only 1/2 the so called facts....it makes for a more juicy headline to paint Jacques as doing something greedy, rather than Ms.Bedard simply mis-understanding what her agent said to her....