RUBY DHALLA
From Bollywood to Brampton, this Liberal MP is keeping a low profile after she was drawn into the messy "Nannygate" affair in May. Her relatives were publicly accused of mistreating foreign domestic workers, a claim Dhalla denied. Her once bright political future was clouded further after rumours circulated that she was considering crossing over to the Conservative benches. That never came to pass, but the lingering question of loyalty to the Liberal party could leave a permanent scar on her political life.
-- Kathleen Harris
PETER MACKAY
This groom-to-be has remained firmly in the hot seat as defence minister. A former Crown attorney, MacKay has aptly dealt with hard-hitting questions about the Afghanistan mission and served well in the tough task of meeting caskets and loved ones of Canada's fallen soldiers coming home. But his recent handling of the Afghan detainee torture file has left much to be desired, as he recklessly shoots from the hip to rebut serious claims from senior diplomats and makes grand public denials.
-- Kathleen Harris
LISA RAITT
When Natural Resources Minister Lisa Raitt was handed the contentious nuclear power file, it proved hotter than even she anticipated. In June, documents containing inside details of the bidding to build two new nuclear reactors in Ontario were left in a TV studio after her visit. An aide took the blame. Then a recording of Raitt emerged in which she criticized a cabinet colleague and described the medical isotope crisis as a "sexy" file that could further her career. She ended up apologizing.
Finally, Raitt was the target of allegations about expenses and fundraising linked to her days as head of the Toronto Port Authority.
-- Peter Zimonjic
MIKE DUFFY
During his first speech as Conservative senator from Prince Edward Island, Duffy earned a rebuke from Prime Minister Stephen Harper for suggesting in vivid language that P.E.I. Premier Robert Ghiz had climbed into bed with Newfoundland and Labrador Premier Danny Williams. Duffy also courted controversy by accepting paid public speaking engagements, flying across Canada fundraising for the Tories and acting as Harper's personal talk-show host during a scripted government announcement in Cambridge.
In May, the Canadian Broadcast Standards Council criticized Duffy and CTV for airing the false starts of then Liberal leader Stephane Dion during a 2008 election interview. This fall, Duffy called NDP MP Peter Stoffer a "faker" after Stoffer revealed Duffy had tallied $44,000 in expenses in just three months.
-- Althia Raj
