Jean-Daniel Lafond, the husband of Gov. Gen. Michaëlle Jean, has "vehemently" denied a media report that he requested the Queen not stay at Rideau Hall during her recent visit to Ottawa.
In a statement, Lafond said he does not know where "this unfounded information came from" and that it's "truly insulting" for him and his wife. Rideau Hall is the official residence of the Governor General.
"There is no justification for such an allegation. I have profound respect for the institutional ties that Canada maintains with the British monarchy and the Royal Family, and I recognize how strong are these symbolic, historic and constitutional ties," he said.
Sun Media reported on Wednesday that Lafond had asked that Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip find somewhere else to stay, even though Lafond and Jean were away in China on a state visit when the royals arrived on June 30.
http://www.cbc.ca/canada/story/2010/07/07/lafond-queen.htmlWednesday, July 7, 2010 | 8:44 PM ET
QMI is Quebec Media Agency. Sun corp.
Lafond denies trying to block Queen's Rideau stay
OTTAWA – Jean-Daniel Lafond angrily denied Wednesday a QMI Agency report that he didn’t want the Queen to bunk at Rideau Hall when the monarch visited the nation’s capital last week.
Several government and non-government sources said Lafond, the husband of Gov. Gen. Michaelle Jean, requested Queen Elizabeth II and her husband, Prince Philip, find somewhere else to stay when they arrived in Ottawa for a three-night stay on June 30. The sources requested anonymity.
One source characterized it as an “appalling” request.
But Lafond denies the allegations.
http://www.torontosun.com/news/canada/2010/07/07/14635091.htmlHarper looking to divide and conquer and get a majority. Pure and simple.