Tuesday, May 27, 2008

 

Canadian foreign minister Maxime Bernier resigns over secret document row

The foreign minister of Canada resigned on Tuesday after it emerged he left classified information in the apartment of a former girlfriend linked to members of a biker gang.

Foreign minister Maxime Bernier with former girlfriend Julie Couillard


Maxime Bernier, 45, had been under increasing pressure to quit after Julie Couillard revealed details of her personal life, and disclosed that the minister had left a document at her flat.


"He came to my place, then he left, and the document remained with me," she told the French-language TVA network.


She said she had given the document to a lawyer who returned it to the government. It has not been revealed what the document contained, nor whether any other party saw it.

Miss Couillard, 38, also confirmed she had once been involved with a member of a biker gang who was assassinated and later married – but quickly divorced – another gang member.


She conceded that neither man had been an innocent but added: "I have done nothing to embarrass my country."


Miss Couillard attended Mr Bernier’s swearing-in as foreign minister last year, and had been designated his “spouse” to enable her to travel on official trips.


Her connection with bikers did not become public knowledge until later, and the couple reportedly broke up some months ago.


Prime Minister Stephen Harper accepted Mr Bernier's resignation, stating: "Minister Bernier informed me that he left classified government documents in a non-secure location. This is a serious error.


"This is about one thing and that is a failure to uphold expected standards on government documents. It is a very serious mistake, regardless of who the minister is, regardless of personal life," he said.


"This is about one thing and that is a failure to uphold expected standards on government documents. It is a very serious mistake."


Prime Minister Stephen Harper
More on: Canada

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