OTTAWA (Reuters) - Canadian Immigration Minister Judy Sgro, already embroiled in a scandal over favors given to a Romanian stripper, resigned on Friday after a pizza shop owner said she had reneged on a promise to help him avoid deportation in exchange for free pizza.
The affair is yet another political embarrassment for Liberal Prime Minister Paul Martin, who lost his parliamentary majority in a June 2004 election amid anger over a government sponsorship scandal.
"It's obviously with great regret that I accepted Judy Sgro's resignation but I understand why she wanted to do it. She wants to have a completely free hand to defend herself against these allegations," Martin told reporters.
Sgro left after pizza shop owner Harjit Singh filed an affidavit in Federal Court accusing her of offering to help him stay in Canada in return for pizza deliveries and assistance with her election campaign.
Sgro issued a statement condemning what she called "outrageous fabrications," which she said she would fight "vigorously with every measure at my disposal."
Singh, who is facing imminent deportation after he was accused of using someone else's passport, said in his affidavit that he had approached Sgro to ask for help.
"She assured me that if I helped out in her election campaign she would get me immigration in Canada," he said.
"Judy said she wanted me to deliver pizza, garlic bread etc. to her campaign office ... I did this. She also said that she needed 15-16 people to help work in her campaign. I organized this for her as well," he said in the affidavit, a copy of which was obtained by Reuters.
Once news of the arrangement leaked out, Sgro reneged on the deal, he added. Singh, who emigrated from India in 1988, was arrested in late December.
"I believe now that to save her job Judy Sgro is using her power to remove me from Canada," he said in the affidavit, which was filed on Jan. 5.
Sgro is the first minister to quit since Martin came to power in December 2003. Her duties will be carried out by Human Resources Minister Joe Volpe.
The job of immigration minister is a sensitive one in Canada, which is one of the few Western nations still actively seeking immigrants. The Liberals have traditionally drawn widespread support from immigrant communities.
Sgro is already under investigation by Parliament's ethics commissioner for giving a temporary residency permit to a Romanian stripper who had worked on her election campaign. She also extended the woman's expired work permit.
Stephen Harper, leader of the Conservatives, said Sgro should have been fired months ago and said there were big problems at the immigration ministry.
"I think we have to get to the bottom of what was going on here. There are a lot of serious allegations. This was not just a case of one or two people being given favors," he said.
Sgro triggered headlines almost from the day she was appointed in December 2003, first by opposing the tradition of churches sheltering asylum seekers and then by saying that Canada's refugee system was being abused.
http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tm...=5&u=/nm/20050114/od_nm/canada_immigration_dc
The affair is yet another political embarrassment for Liberal Prime Minister Paul Martin, who lost his parliamentary majority in a June 2004 election amid anger over a government sponsorship scandal.
"It's obviously with great regret that I accepted Judy Sgro's resignation but I understand why she wanted to do it. She wants to have a completely free hand to defend herself against these allegations," Martin told reporters.
Sgro left after pizza shop owner Harjit Singh filed an affidavit in Federal Court accusing her of offering to help him stay in Canada in return for pizza deliveries and assistance with her election campaign.
Sgro issued a statement condemning what she called "outrageous fabrications," which she said she would fight "vigorously with every measure at my disposal."
Singh, who is facing imminent deportation after he was accused of using someone else's passport, said in his affidavit that he had approached Sgro to ask for help.
"She assured me that if I helped out in her election campaign she would get me immigration in Canada," he said.
"Judy said she wanted me to deliver pizza, garlic bread etc. to her campaign office ... I did this. She also said that she needed 15-16 people to help work in her campaign. I organized this for her as well," he said in the affidavit, a copy of which was obtained by Reuters.
Once news of the arrangement leaked out, Sgro reneged on the deal, he added. Singh, who emigrated from India in 1988, was arrested in late December.
"I believe now that to save her job Judy Sgro is using her power to remove me from Canada," he said in the affidavit, which was filed on Jan. 5.
Sgro is the first minister to quit since Martin came to power in December 2003. Her duties will be carried out by Human Resources Minister Joe Volpe.
The job of immigration minister is a sensitive one in Canada, which is one of the few Western nations still actively seeking immigrants. The Liberals have traditionally drawn widespread support from immigrant communities.
Sgro is already under investigation by Parliament's ethics commissioner for giving a temporary residency permit to a Romanian stripper who had worked on her election campaign. She also extended the woman's expired work permit.
Stephen Harper, leader of the Conservatives, said Sgro should have been fired months ago and said there were big problems at the immigration ministry.
"I think we have to get to the bottom of what was going on here. There are a lot of serious allegations. This was not just a case of one or two people being given favors," he said.
Sgro triggered headlines almost from the day she was appointed in December 2003, first by opposing the tradition of churches sheltering asylum seekers and then by saying that Canada's refugee system was being abused.
http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tm...=5&u=/nm/20050114/od_nm/canada_immigration_dc
