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 Conservative Leader Stephen Harper came to the defence of one of his top aides on Thursday. (Conservative Party of Canada) |
CONCEPTION BAY SOUTH, N.L. - Conservative Leader Stephen Harper came to the defence Thursday of one of his top aides over allegations he was offered compensation to recommend a specific candidate to head up the Montreal Port Authority.
“That allegation is categorically false,” Harper said at a campaign event at a hockey rink in Newfoundland.
Harper’s communications director, Dimitri Soudas, is accused of interference after he put forward the name of Montreal engineer Robert Abdallah - a former city official - in 2007 as a candidate for board chairman at the port authority.
On Thursday, the Bloc Quebecois war room distributed audio clips on YouTube of what appeared to be a private conversation between Montreal construction magnate Tony Accurso and businessman Bernard Poulin.
Speaking in French, the two allegedly discuss offering Soudas compensation if he helps them out.
Soudas denied Thursday he ever received, or was offered, compensation by the two men for putting Abdallah’s name forward.
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“Never, ever, ever,” he said, adding he had never spoken to either man.
“It is crystal clear. Anybody who wants to influence the Prime Minister’s Office will find it padlocked.”
Meanwhile, Liberal Leader Michael Ignatieff called for Soudas to be turfed.
“Mr. Harper’s lapdog, the guy who’s there every day and night, 24-hours a day, is putting, it seems to me, absolutely inappropriate pressure on the Port of Montreal,” he said at a campaign event in the city.
“I don’t know all the allegations, but it doesn’t look good. It not only doesn’t look good, it isn’t good, and he’s got to go.”
On Wednesday, Harper said that it was “normal” for someone from the Prime Minister’s Office to lobby the port authority’s board, and that the ultimate decision would be made by the organization.
“The board of directors, in this corporation, in many corporations, appoints its CEO and it’s not unusual for the government to express its preference,” he said.
The port authority eventually selected another candidate.
Soudas denied intervening in the appointment before a 2008 Parliamentary committee.
Twitter: @j_murphy1