Industry minister under fire
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OTTAWA - Industry Minister Christian Paradis is under fire for the second time in as many weeks.
Hot on the heels of a reprimand from the ethics commissioner, he faced questions and criticism Tuesday from opposition parties about a 2009 hunting trip he took as a guest of Marcel Aubut, one of the proponents of an NHL arena for Quebec City.
Paradis was serving as the public works minister at the time of the vacation and insists he was not lobbied.
"I paid for the cost of that trip," the minister said during question period, insisting that he took his own vehicle to the site and provided his own equipment.
Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner Mary Dawson says she will review the matter. Both the NDP and the Liberals are calling for a parliamentary inquiry.
"You never know exactly what the circumstances are," said Dawson.
But the commissioner says she can't recall receiving the same volume of complaints about other cabinet ministers.
Last Thursday, Dawson ruled Paradis broke the rules when, as public works minister, he helped former Conservative MP Rahim Jaffer meet department officials.
Dawson found Paradis breached two sections of the act, but not a third because he did not try and influence department officials to help Jaffer's company, Green Power Generation, with a rooftop solar panel project.
Prime Minister Stephen Harper, in South Korea on a six-day tour in Asia, was questioned about his minister's hunting trip, but he insisted it was above board.
"This was a private trip," Harper said, saying it was not related to government business.
NDP MP Charlie Angus, who is a member of the House of Commons ethics committee, says Paradis should be kicked out of cabinet.
--with files from Mark Dunn
Kristy.Kirkup@sunmedia.ca
On Twitter: @kkirkup