Lobbyist uses Minister's apartment? (en francais)

Paris-loving Pettigrew under fire for absences

"When the Citizen visited his Paris home this weekend, it was occupied by Martin-Pierre Pelletier who, until this spring, served as Mr. Pettigrew's senior policy adviser on softwood lumber and U.S.-Canada trade relations.

He now works for Ottawa lobby firm Prospectus Associates, alongside former Tory strategist Bill Pristanski and Bruce Hartley, who previously served as prime minister Jean Chretien's executive assistant.

Mr. Pelletier is retained by the Quebec Forest Industry Council, a trade group, to lobby Mr. Pettigrew's department, according to his lobbyist registration with Industry Canada. He was staying in the apartment for a few days before heading to Provence with his wife on a summer holiday."

Personally, I could care less where Mr. Pettigrew spends his time. In todays day and age of modern communication, these arguements are nothing more than typical political potshots.

On the other hand, WTF is his 'former policy advisor on softwood lumber and U.S.-Canada trade relations' turned lobbyist for the Quebec Forest Industry, doing staying in his Paris apartment? No conflict of interest there! Whether the lobbyist is paying for the apartment or not, the optics just scream BS.