MacDonald defends minister in second police incident
Last Updated: Wednesday, March 21, 2007 | 11:17 AM AT
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Nova Scotia Premier Rodney MacDonald is dismissing questions about an incident involving a cabinet minister and police, the second such case he has dealt with this year.
A reporter told the premier Tuesday about an incident with Fisheries Minister Ron Chisholm, who was pulled over by police nearly two weeks ago.
Chisholm was driving in Dartmouth when he offered a young woman a ride. Soon after, police pulled his car over. Officers detained the woman and let Chisholm go.
MacDonald said he asked his cabinet colleague what happened after a reporter brought it to his attention.
"He gave me the details," MacDonald told reporters Tuesday. "He has done nothing wrong. I take him at his word. Simple as that."
This is the second time in a matter of months that MacDonald is fielding questions about why one of his cabinet ministers did not tell him right away about an incident involving police.
In January, Ernie Fage, the minister of human resources at the time, resigned when witnesses told CBC News he fled the scene of a fender-bender last November smelling of alcohol.
MacDonald said he found out about the accident a few days after it happened, but only learned of the allegations when CBC aired the story on Jan. 4.
Opposition MLAs questioned MacDonald's leadership abilities, and the premier, in turn, told reporters he expected his ministers to inform him of any serious matters.
MacDonald said he doesn't consider Chisholm's case that serious.
"Has he breached the code of conduct? Not to my knowledge," he said.
MacDonald said Chisholm never told him why police were interested in talking with the woman, but he also didn't put that question to his fisheries minister. Nevertheless, he said he's satisfied Chisholm has told him all there is to know.
"What I'll tell you is that I'm satisfied with what he's told me and for me that's the end of the matter," MacDonald said.
Chisholm echoed the premier's comments, telling the Chronicle Herald newspaper he did nothing wrong.
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