Two things must happen following Heritage Minister James Moore's seismic meltdown over being asked legitimate questions about the appropriateness of the CBC's French affiliate showing foreign pornography on its website.

First, Moore must apologize publicly to QMI Media's Kris Sims for the low-blow insult to her integrity by calling her a "pawn" to Quebecor Media CEO Pierre Karl Peladeau just for asking questions any competent journalist would ask, and should ask, when taxpayer money is involved.

And, second, Prime Minister Stephen Harper must immediately remove Moore from his portfolio and replace him with someone who doesn't appear to be in bed with the taxpayer-funded state broadcaster.

Moore has the option of apologizing.

But Harper does not have the option of keeping him.

Moore has lost what little is left of his credibility.

Here we have a cabinet minister accusing Kris Sims of "being in the business of going after the CBC," and that she was chasing the CBC porn story so that Quebecor -- her employer, and ours -- could gain a larger share of the French-language TV audience in Quebec.

Once that happens, Moore told Sims, Sun News Network will be shut down: "You know that's going to happen, right?" And then he ludicrously equated France-bought pornography on the publicly funded Radio-Canada to privately-owned Sun Media's 40-year tradition of publishing pictures of bikini-clad SUNshine Girls.

We could almost hear Moore's last remaining marble rolling across the foyer of the House of Commons and disappearing out the front door.

James Moore's contempt for Quebecor's news operations is palpable, and can't be argued. If fact, he is so in love with the CBC that his knees figuratively weaken.

His objectivity, which is necessary for a minister of the Crown to properly oversee his portfolio, has being replaced by a love-struck blindness that the CBC can do no wrong.

This cannot be lost on the prime minister.

James Moore said he had not seen the offending porn, but then refused to look at it when Kris Sims produced a download on her iPad for him to peruse.

He chose, instead, to attack the messenger.

Harper has no choice. Moore must be removed.