OTTAWA—Helena Guergis says her gender was a big reason Stephen Harper dumped her from cabinet over unproven allegations of extortion, fraud and involvement with prostitutes.

Guergis accused the Conservative leader of a double standard, saying he treated her differently than he would a male member of his caucus.

The former minister of state for the status of woman told the Star Thursday that she was held accountable for the alleged actions of her husband in a way that a man would not be made to pay for allegations over his wife.

Harper booted Guergis from cabinet and caucus in April 2010 over what he called at the time “serious allegations” that he referred to the RCMP. Harper has never explained what the mystery allegations were even though Guergis was subsequently cleared by the RCMP.

But now the letter sent from Harper principal secretary Ray Novak to the RCMP a year ago has become public, shedding light on the allegations that cost her a cabinet post.

“The allegations are numerous and include fraud, extortion, obtaining benefits by false pretences and involvement in prostitution,” Novak wrote in the letter dated April 9, 2010, the same day Guergis was kicked out.

But Novak also wrote that the Prime Minister’s Office has “no first-hand knowledge of these allegations,” according to CBC News which obtained a copy of the letter.

According to the television network, Novak said the Prime Minister’s Office had “become aware of the specifics of the allegations” made by Toronto-based private investigator Derrick Snowdy.

Conservative Party lawyer Arthur Hamilton had talked to Snowdy on behalf of the PMO. In a subsequent interview with RCMP officers, Hamilton told of “Jaffer and Guergis on tape, partying with hookers and doing cocaine,” CBC News reported.

However, Hamilton also told RCMP officers that he did not verify the allegations nor was aware of anyone who could.

Guergis has scheduled a news conference in Collingwood Friday morning. She told the Star Thursday that she blames Harper and members of his inner circle but said she still enjoys the support of many members of the Conservative caucus.

“I have never claimed to be perfect, but I know I have done nothing to deserve this catastrophic treatment from the Prime Minister’s Office,” Guergis told Star columnist Tim Harper.

The Prime Minister’s spokesman, Dimitri Soudas, said late Thursday that “Information was given to us. We passed that information to the authorities. The authorities dealt with it.”

Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading...

Guergis is running as an independent Conservative in Simcoe-Grey and says she’s facing the “dirtiest campaign” of her career as she faces off against Conservative candidate Kellie Leitch.

Just the day before her expulsion from cabinet, the Toronto Star had reported how Guergis’ husband Rahim Jaffer, a former Conservative MP, had dined in the company of high-flying business associates in Toronto. One of those guests would later boast in an email that Jaffer “has opened up the Prime Minister’s Office to us.”

Read more about: