Jean Pelletier has been fired for the second time as chairman of Via Rail's board of directors.
In a written statement issued late Thursday, Transport Minister Jean Lapierre said the termination was effective immediately.
"No compensation will be paid to Mr. Pelletier as he has already initiated legal proceedings in Quebec Superior Court to recover salary, benefits and damages," the statement said.
The former chief of staff to Prime Minister Jean Chretien was fired by the Liberal government last year after making disparaging remarks about Myriam Bedard, a champion biathlete who testified about the sponsorship scandal last year.
But, in November, a Federal Court ruling said the federal government acted unfairly, ruling that the former mayor of Quebec City wasn't given a fair warning before he was let go.
Lapierre had said that Pelletier would be fired again for the very same reason -- although this time he would receive a fair warning. Shortly after November's court decision, the minister said he sent Pelletier a letter notifying him that he faces suspension or firing.
Pelletier was a close confidante of Chretien and there has been speculation his firing was an attempt to rid the government of Chretienites, as Martin took over.
He was fired in March 2004 after he made critical remarks about Olympic medallist Bedard.
Bedard had complained in a letter to Prime Minister Paul Martin in February 2004 that she had been forced to resign from her Via job.
She had contended she was blowing the whistle on incidents she saw at Via pertaining to the now-defunct sponsorship program.
In response to her comments at the time, Pelletier described Bedard, as a "pitiful" single mother in a newspaper article. The comments were deemed sexist and demeaning.
