By Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Friday, February 8, 2013
Harper ‘let down’ by Senator Patrick Brazeau
Prime Minister Stephen Harper said Friday he feels “let down” after a senator he appointed to the upper chamber, Patrick Brazeau, was charged with sexual assault.
Addressing a crowd in Vancouver Friday, where he and Heritage Minister James Moore were announcing new tough-on-crime legislation, Harper did not hide his disappointment.
“Obviously the situation with Sen. Brazeau is terrible, it is extremely appalling and disappointing. We all feel very let down,” Harper said, before adding a caveat.
“That should not, obviously, obscure the fact that most people in the Senate work very hard and take their responsibilities very seriously,” he said.
On the question of whether he would ask for Brazeau’s resignation from the Senate, Harper said he would leave that to the upper chamber and its “strengthened process” now in place to deal with such matters.
“The events that we are speaking of here are very recent in nature,” Harper told reporters. “Obviously, in the recent period, something has been going very wrong and that is the reason for the situation that has developed and that situation will be dealt with by the courts.”
The prime minister’s comments came just hours after Brazeau was charged with assault and sex assault and released on $1,000 bail. He was arrested Thursday after police responded to a 911 call from his Gatineau, Que. home and spent the night in custody.
Prime Minister Stephen Harper said Friday he feels “let down” after a senator he appointed to the upper chamber, Patrick Brazeau, was charged with sexual assault.
Addressing a crowd in Vancouver Friday, where he and Heritage Minister James Moore were announcing new tough-on-crime legislation, Harper did not hide his disappointment.
“Obviously the situation with Sen. Brazeau is terrible, it is extremely appalling and disappointing. We all feel very let down,” Harper said, before adding a caveat.
“That should not, obviously, obscure the fact that most people in the Senate work very hard and take their responsibilities very seriously,” he said.
On the question of whether he would ask for Brazeau’s resignation from the Senate, Harper said he would leave that to the upper chamber and its “strengthened process” now in place to deal with such matters.
“The events that we are speaking of here are very recent in nature,” Harper told reporters. “Obviously, in the recent period, something has been going very wrong and that is the reason for the situation that has developed and that situation will be dealt with by the courts.”
The prime minister’s comments came just hours after Brazeau was charged with assault and sex assault and released on $1,000 bail. He was arrested Thursday after police responded to a 911 call from his Gatineau, Que. home and spent the night in custody. (Source: CTV News)