PM Stephen Harper defends Natural Resources Minister, Lisa Raitt

by tvtayber | June 9, 2009 at 03:36 pm

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The Chronicle Herald released tapes Monday, June 8th 2009, found in an Ottawa press gallery, which contained converstations between the Natural Resources Minister, Lisa Raitt and her former aide, Jasmine MacDonnell.

They feature Raitt talking candidly to her aide about the isotope issue, calling it 'sexy'. She also is heard criticizing the Health Minister, Leona Aglukkaq and her abilities to handle the issue.

The conversations can be heard at The Chronicle Herald.

The recorder was given to Mr. Maher in February by another reporter who found it in a women’s washroom on Parliament Hill... Mr. Maher informed Ms. MacDonnell that he had the recorder and invited her to drop by his office to pick it up. She never did

All of this comes after Ms. MacDonnell, resigned at the beginning of June, 2009 from her post as Communications Coordinator to Lisa Raitt after it was revealed that she left sensitive documents in CTV's Ottwawa news bureau.

A judge refused to grant an injunction to stop the release of the tapes because the information is important to the Public and that it cannot be considered private because the driver would have overheard it and the tapes were left in a public place.

“It is wrong to deprive the press and the public it serves of remarks made privately but not confidentially, in the sense of trade secrets or privileged communication, after those remarks became available because of poor record keeping or management,” Justice Moir said.

Prime Minister Stephen Harper refused to call for Ms. Raitt's resignation and defended the Minister and her work.

In Question Period, Mr. Harper dismissed the attacks, saying Ms. Raitt has been at the forefront of trying to sort out the isotope shortage and “no one has worked harder” to solve the problem.

Raitt apologized to the public on June 10th, in front of reporters in Ottawa where she held back tears recounting some of her own experiences with cancer.

She said her intent during an inadvertently taped conversation with an aide was not to show disrespect for cancer victims, survivors or their families, but she added: "It's clear that these remarks have been interpreted that way. So I want to offer a clear apology to anyone who has been offended by what I’ve said.”

She did not appologize for her comments about Ms. Aglukkaq, though she said she would continue to work with the health Minister to solve the Isotope crisis.

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