‘It was meant to deter me and punish me’: MP Caputo awaits decision from speaker on point of privilege

Jun 13, 2023 | 4:29 PM

OTTAWA — On Monday (June 12), Kamloops-Thompson-Cariboo MP Frank Caputo raised a point of privilege in the House of Commons. Caputo was calling into question an email he received from Attorney General David Lametti after he applauded a speech from a fellow Tory MP, asking for David Johnston to step down and a public inquiry to be called into foreign election interference.

The speech in question also referenced former Supreme Court justice Frank Iacobucci and ties to the Trudeau family. In response, Lametti emailed Caputo saying, “I see you clapping on attacks on Frank Icoubbi’s Integrity. [sic] I will let the community know.”

Caputo took the email as a threat from the minister to tarnish his reputation.

“This is the highest legal official in our country and he is saying to an opposition MP, not in government, ‘I will let the community know,'” Caputo told CFJC News. “This is the person who appoints every federal judge in the country. He has incredible influence and incredible powers of outreach. I’m not sure what we make of this beyond the fact it was meant to deter me and punish me for what I had done, which was to simply clap.”

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Since the point of privilege was raised by Caputo on Monday, the attorney general has stated that he was referring to the Italian community, not the legal community as originally believed by Caputo. However, Lametti has not apologized for his statement.

The decision on the point of privilege is now up to the Speaker of the House.

“Often times points of privilege are not upheld by the speaker. But, that does not mean what was done isn’t wrong. One can still do something that is immoral, that is unethical or flat out wrong in the House of Commons without raising a point of privilege. If the speaker says, ‘Look, I don’t feel this impedes the member from doing their job,’ that doesn’t mean it was right,” said Caputo.

by Michael Reeve

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‘It was meant to deter me and punish me’: MP Caputo awaits decision from speaker on point of privilege

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