Valeri denies his office involved in any leaks

Last Updated: Friday, January 13, 2006 | 10:30 AM ET

CBC News

Tony Valeri says his office didn't know the government was going to cut taxes on income trusts until the afternoon of the day the announcement was made, and couldn't be the source of any leak.

In a tight race for the seat in his Hamilton East-Stoney Creek riding, government House leader Valeri tried to avoid reporters' questions on the income trust issue following an all-candidates meeting, but relented after two people stood in front of his van to keep it from leaving.

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Valeri emerged from the vehicle to say no one in his office knew about the tax cuts before they should have.

• FROM DEC. 28, 2005: RCMP investigates allegations of income trust leaks

A flurry of trading on Nov. 23, the day of the announcement, has the RCMP investigating whether anyone was told of the announcement ahead of time and profited from the information.

"We did not actually see the documents until 3 o'clock that day," Valeri said. "And I don't know of any member of my staff that was privy to any decision prior to receiving those documents at 3 p.m."

The Conservatives and NDP have used the allegations as another example of Liberal party corruption.