PM ignored Guergis-Jaffer problem: opposition

Opposition parties are accusing Prime Minister Stephen Harper of ignoring allegations that former cabinet minister Helena Guergis's husband used her parliamentaryoffices for lobbying purposes.

Liberal MPs also used Tuesday's question period in the House of Commons to demand the federal government provide more information on its relationship with an Ottawa-based company that lists former Tory MP Rahim Jaffer's friend and business partner as one of its principal employees.

The questions came after former Guergis staff memberscame forward about Jaffer'suse ofher parliamentary offices and car.

Late last week, the prime minister accepted Guergis's resignation from cabinet and kicked her out of the Conservative caucus after he learned of "serious" allegations about her conduct. Harper referred the matter to the RCMP and the ethics commissioner, but would not disclose further details about the charges.

Liberal Leader Michael Ignatieff said Tuesday the perquisites Jaffer allegedly enjoyed as husband to a former junior cabinet minister"may well violate the law of the land." Heagain called on Harper to disclose what allegations prompted Guergis's resignation and removal from the Tory caucus.

"Can the government explain how this pair was allowed to get away with this for so long?" Ignatieff said.

NDP Leader Jack Layton added: "Here we have this so-called tough-on-crime prime minister, and he won't even tell Canadians why he called the cops on one of his ministers."

With the prime minister still in Washington attending the nuclear security summit, Transport Minister John Baird was left to answer questions in the House. He defended the prime minister's handling of the matter, saying Harperreferred the allegations to the "appropriate authority" once he learned of them.

"Taxpayers work hard for their money, and every tax dollar should be used wisely and well on public and government business," Baird said, speakingin an unusually subdued manner.

Liberal MP Marcel Proulx then called on several ministers to disclose what discussions they had with Jafferattwo events in 2009 and whether they were disclosed to the lobbying commissioner.

"Mr. Jaffer seems to have better access to the federal cabinet than the prime minister," Proulx quipped.

Baird responded that the government has "strong legislation" with respect to the registration of lobbyists, and he encouraged Proulx to forwardany specific allegations to the lobbying commissioner.

Ethics watchdog won't probe

Guergis was once again not in the Commons for question period, but learned Tuesday she would not face an investigation from the federal ethics commissioner.

Mary Dawson said in a statementthat she was not in a position to investigate Guergis, whilealso noting that if the RCMPwere to investigate, she would be required to suspend any probe that she had opened. Dawson added she would "continue to monitor the situation."

The Liberals alsoset their sights Tuesdayon BMCI Consulting Inc. an auditing, investigations and management consulting firm that the Opposition says wonmore than$3million worth of federal government contracts since the Conservatives took office in 2006.

Liberal MP Mark Hollandnoted that Patrick Glmaud, Jaffer's friend and business partner at Green Power Generation, is listed as one of BMCI's employees on the company's website. Glmaudalso ran as a Conservative candidate in the Ontario riding of Ottawa-Vanier, but lost to Liberal incumbent Mauril Blanger.

BMCI,Holland told the House,seems to have had an "enormous amount of success getting government contracts, and so we want to know what kind of access they had, and was Mr. Jaffer using his influence in an appropriate way."

Liberal MP Anita Nevilletold MPsthe government has hired the firm to, among other things, help resolve controversial issues, including when former foreign affairs minister Maxime Bernier left sensitive documents at his former girlfriend's house.

Baird replied he knew nothing about the company.

On Monday, the Liberalssent a letter toLobbying Commissioner KarenShepherd asking her toinvestigate "possible violations" of the Lobbying Act by Jaffer and Green Power Generation representatives.

Glmaud told CBC News on Tuesdayhe's just getting caught in the political crossfire.

"I think what's going on here is the Liberal party going on a smear campaign, hiding behind parliamentary privilege to attack me personally," he said.

In a statement earlier Tuesday, Glmaudinsistedthat nobody at his company performed any lobbying work. He said he, Jaffer and GPG"will co-operate fully with the commissioner of lobbying if an investigation is initiated."

Jaffer used office, car: former staffers

Earlier Tuesday, one of Guergis's former staffers told CBC News that Jaffer sometimes used Guergis's Parliament Hill offices for work, sayinga specificroomwas known as "Rahim's office."

The former employeesaid it was unclear what Jaffer did there but that he often spoke about his business, Green Power Generation.

A spokesman for the Prime Minister's Office saidit wasthe first they hadheard of Jaffer using Guergis's office, and that if true, itwould beunacceptable. When contacted by CBC News, Guergis's office saidsheis not making any comment at the moment, but willissue a statement later this week.

The Globe and Mail reported Tuesday that a former chauffeur for Guergis drove Jaffer regularly in Ottawa for a period of time after he lost an Edmonton seat in the 2008 election.

Jafferis not registered as a lobbyist, but a report in the Toronto Star last week allegedthe ex-Alberta Tory MPboasted abouthis influence with Harper's inner circle to a Toronto businessman and claimed he could secure government funds for environmental projects.

On his now-defunct website, Jaffer described himself as accomplished in securing government support for alternative energy technologies.

It remains unclear whether Jaffer's activities have anything to do with why the prime minister kicked Guergis out of caucus last week.