The top aide to Heritage Minister Liza Frulla has stepped down - at least temporarily - after he was named in explosive testimony at the federal sponsorship inquiry.

John Welch, who took over as Frulla's chief of staff in January, was the subject of allegations by Montreal ad executive Jean Brault.

In previously banned evidence that was released Thursday, Brault claimed he was pressured by Liberal party officials in 1996 to put Welch on the payroll at his company, Groupaction Mareketing.

Brault said he did so, and paid Welch a salary of $80,000 a year, despite the fact that his real job was to organize for the Liberals in Quebec.

''He came to the office, he was very active on the telephone and we were made to understand that he did work of one nature or another for the party,'' Brault told the inquiry headed by Justice John Gomery.

Keep 'em coming. Let's see them all fall. Wheee!