Stephen Harper must apologize to Navdeep Bains

Prime Minister Stephen Harper must immediately withdraw allegations he made about Liberal MP Navdeep Bains and offer an apology to all Canadians, Liberal House Leader Ralph Goodale said today.

“Mr. Harper’s actions today are the worst kind of gutter politics that I have seen in nearly 20 years in this House,” said Mr. Goodale.

In a desperate attempt to divert attention away from questions regarding his stacking of the judiciary, the Prime Minister explicitly suggested that the Liberal Party of Canada’s opposition to extending the Anti-Terrorism Act’s sunset clause is motivated by a family connection to Mr. Bains.

“There can be no doubt about the Prime Minister's intention,” said Mr. Goodale. “He can try to hide behind the excuse that he did not get an opportunity to read his insult into the record, but there is no doubt about what that insult was intended to be.

Mr. Bains also demanded that the Prime Minister apologize for the smear.

“I had the opportunity to listen to the Prime Minister attack my integrity, the integrity of my family and I would personally ask that the Prime Minister apologize,” he said.

Mr. Harper did not apologize or withdraw his remarks, despite being asked on no less than 12 occasions by the Liberal Opposition.

“Prime Minister Harper has avoided the opportunity of doing the right thing, the honourable thing and that kind of conduct in this House by the Prime Minister or anyone else simply cannot be condoned,” said Mr. Goodale.