There was even more love than usual on the Conservative benches during today’s Question Period, in a bid to put a lid on the controversy surrounding Natural Resources Minister Lisa Raitt’s purported comments about Health Minister Leona Aglukkaq.
As Liberal MP David McGuinty alleged in the House: “The minister was apparently recorded making unpleasant comments about the minister of health, whom she would have described as not very competent.”
With the Liberals asking question after question on the isotope crisis, the interaction between the two ministers in charge of the file was fascinating to watch from the gallery.
Ms. Aglukkaq was the first to rise in a bid to reassure Canadians about the supply of medical isotopes to deal with the shutdown of the Canadian facility in Chalk River, Ont.
“Canada is dealing with the situation by identifying alternatives to medical isotopes and will continue to monitor the situation as we deal with it,” Ms. Aglukkaq said in answer to Liberal Leader Michael Ignatieff.
Ms. Raitt quickly applauded Ms. Aglukkap’s answer, before she stood up to answer the next question, dealing with an alleged lack of alternatives to the Canadian supply of medical isotopes.
“In fact, Petten, in The Netherlands, has increased by 50 per cent its production of medical isotopes,” Ms. Raitt said to much applause from her Conservative colleagues. “The Belgian reactor will then come up to production on July 21. Moreover, it is completely false that the Australian reactor will not be coming on line for six months.”
As Ms. Aglukkaq answered subsequent questions, Ms. Raitt nodded approvingly and was often the first to clap at the end of her colleague’s answers.
Hoping to capitalize on the bubbling Conservative infighting, the Liberals and the NPD tried to get more information on the tape, the fate of which is being debated in a court in Nova Scotia where a newspaper is looking to publish Ms. Raitt’s comments.
“Today there is an attempt in court to muzzle the press and keep a taped conversation from being heard,” NDP MP Thomas Muclair said. “Will the Minister of Justice tell the House who is bankrolling the injunction in Halifax to muzzle the press?”
Justice Minister Rob Nicholson didn’t address the question, or the inference that at least the Conservative Party of Canada is paying the legal bills.
“The minister [of Natural Resources] is not a party to the action and the Government of Canada is not involved.,” Mr. Nicholson said.
