Philpott dogged by car controversy
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his cabinet went back to school Sunday with one minister — Jane Philpott — trying to shed her newfound reputation as a problem pupil.
The health minister used the start of a twoday cabinet retreat at Laurentian University to apologize in person for repeatedly using a pricey luxury car service owned by a man who volunteered on her election campaign last fall.
Casting the controversy as a learning experience for all ministers, Philpott repeated her vow, made in a written statement last week, to reimburse at least $3,700.
“I’m happy now to say in person, in front of all of you, that I apologize for what took place,’’ Philpott told reporters on her way into the retreat, her first public appearance since the controversy broke last week.
“The costs were too high. Those costs were inappropriate and I apologize for that.’’
Philpott called the controversy “a mistake’’ and insisted she never deliberately intended “to do anything that was wrong.’’
Still, she admitted that she could have been more clear when she told Parliament, in a written response to an opposition question placed on the House of Commons order paper, that she’d never used a limousine service.
Company owner Reza Shirani has confirmed that the vehicle Philpott used was a Lexus luxury sedan, prompting opposition charges that the minister misled Parliament.
Philpott said the response was crafted on the advice of her department.
“I don’t want to get into the semantics of definitions of types of vehicles,’’ she said.
“Again, in retrospect, we could have obviously been much more specific and clarified exactly what car service was used in some of my work. Again, lessons learned.’’
Opposition critics weren’t satisfied with her explanation.
“It was a yes or no question and the minister chose to answer it the way she answered it,’’ said Conservative MP Colin Carrie.
“She needs to face the consequences and there could be a contempt of Parliament issue coming out of this.’’