Bernier papers returned full day before PM learned of breach

[CHIMO]

The Foreign Affairs Department knew about Maxime Bernier's security breach a full day before Prime Minister Stephen Harper says he learned of the matter that prompted the beleaguered minister's resignation just hours later, CBC News has confirmed.

On Monday evening, Harper announced Bernier was stepping down because he committed a security error when he inadvertently left classified documents at the home of his ex-girlfriend, Julie Couillard, in April.

The Tories have said Harper became aware of the security breach only on Monday and acted immediately and decisively in accepting Bernier's resignation. But the government so far has offered no explanation why it took almost 24 hours for the prime minister to find out about the breach.

CBC news has confirmed that the missing government document was returned to Foreign Affairs on Sunday, and that Couillard had the document with her when she recorded her now infamous interview with the French-language TVA network on Sunday afternoon.

http://www.cbc.ca/canada/story/2008/05/28/security-bernier.html