Cabinet minister pledges to improve
CALGARY Embattled federal cabinet minister Kent Hehr is vowing to push past his current controversies.
Hehr, Calgary’s sole representative in the Liberal cabinet, has come under fire for three instances where he allegedly spoke rudely to constituents in meetings.
Speaking to reporters in Calgary Friday, an emotional Hehr pledged again to improve his approach and reiterated that he can come across as “brash and insensitive” at times because of his direct manner.
But Hehr, who intends to run for re-election in 2019, said he’s not rethinking his political future despite the controversy.
“I work very hard on behalf of my constituents. I serve at the pleasure of the prime minister. I am working as hard as I can in my portfolio,” said the Minister of Sport and Persons with Disabilities.
“I can only do the best I can moving forward.”
The federal Conservatives have taken aim at Hehr over the allegations but have not publicly called for his head.
However, there have been calls from the public and media for Hehr to resign from cabinet or be fired by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.
Trudeau has stuck by Hehr so far, however.
Hehr only narrowly won the Calgary Centre riding in 2015, beating incumbent Conservative MP Joan Crockatt by 750 votes to become one of two Liberal MPs elected in the city — the first in four decades.
The other, Calgary Skyview MP Darshan Kang, left the Liberal caucus earlier this year because of allegations of sexual harassment.