Top aide to Canada PM sparked NAFTA spat: reports

March 6, 2008

ol

Thu Mar 6, 9:45 AM

OTTAWA (Reuters) - A major controversy over the sincerity of U.S.

Democratic presidential contender Barack Obama's attacks on NAFTA was

triggered by the top aide to Canadian Prime Minister Harper,

media reports said on Thursday.

Harper has promised an investigation into the leak of a memo on a

discussion between Canadian diplomats and a member of Obama's team.

The memo said the Obama advisor indicated the criticism of the free

trade agreement was primarily political.

Obama's team denied he was being insincere but rival Hillary Clinton

said the memo showed her opponent could not be trusted. Both

candidates blame NAFTA for U.S. job losses and vow to change or even

abandon the deal, an act that could cripple Canada's economy.

The Globe and Mail newspaper, the Canadian Broadcasting Corp. and

Canadian Press said Harper's chief of staff Ian Brodie had initially

played down criticism of NAFTA from the Clinton camp.

The organizations said Brodie told reporters from the CTV network

last week that someone from the Clinton campaign was " telling the

embassy to take it with a grain of salt. " CTV probed the remark and

then ran a story focusing on Obama.

Harper's chief spokeswoman did not respond to a request for comment.

CBC quoted her as saying Brodie did not recall mentioning NAFTA

during his talk with CTV.

The affair is an embarrassment for Harper's right-leaning

Conservative government, which won power in 2006 by promising to

restore more morality to politics.

Critics, who accuse Harper of being too close to U.S. President

W. Bush, said the spat would damage relations with Washington

if Obama won the presidential election.

A Clinton advisor told reporters on Wednesday that the furor had

helped her win primary contests in Texas and Ohio on Tuesday.

Harper said on Wednesday that the leak was " blatantly unfair " to

Obama's campaign. CBC quoted an unnamed Obama advisor as saying the

leak was " really, really stupid. "

The chances of Brodie losing his job would appear to be remote.

Harper, who does little to hide his contempt for the media, is

fiercely loyal to his staff.

(Reporting by Ljunggren; Editing by )

Recommended Posts