"None of your business!"
by Romeo St. Martin

[PoliticsWatch posted 5:15 p.m. June 13, 2006]

OTTAWA  — Health Minister Tony Clement came under fire in question period on Tuesday for his ownership of a stake in a drug firm. 
 
Clement holds a one-quarter equity position in Prudential Chem Inc., a Toronto manufacturer of pharmaceutical chemicals.

Ethics Commissioner Bernard Shapiro has told Clement to recuse himself from the company, but has allowed Clement to keep the shares. Shapiro also has not asked Clement to put the shares in a blind trust, as former finance minister Paul Martin did with his empire, Canada Steamship Lines.

Clement defended his holdings with reporters after question period, saying he is complying with the current ethics rules. He says selling the shares is not simple because the company is not publicly traded. 

Listen to parts of Clement's scrum with reporters. The scrum begins with Clement offering to sell the shares to an Ottawa Citizen reporter. 

> Listen to Tony Clement's scrum

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