An assistant to Surrey-North MP Dona Cadman is embroiled in controversy after criticizing the Conservatives for limiting the number of media questions the prime minister answers on the campaign trail.
"Can someone in the war room please save the PM's image by allowing him to answer more than five questions a day?!?" Tony Phillips, legislative assistant to Cadman, wrote on his Facebook site last week. Phillips is also listed as Cadman's communications director on her re-election website.
"When Sun Media starts to attack our AMAZING government, you know stupidity has prevailed amongst communications people," Phillips wrote on his Facebook page.
Chris Thomas, with Cadman's campaign, said reports that Phillips is working on the campaign are false.
"He hasn't left Ottawa," Thomas said.
However, he is listed under the "Team" tab on her re-election website, given the title of communications director.
Phillips declined Leader requests for comment this week.
However, he told Canadian Press his comments were to his friends only.
"I can't comment on that because that's a personal Facebook page and being in the political position I'm in, that would not be the best career move for me," he said in a very brief telephone interview.
"I did (share my opinion) with my 800 (Facebook) friends, of which you are not one of them, so ... I think I have to tighten my security settings again."
The Tories have received criticism for limiting the number of questions allowed at Prime Minister Stephen Harper's daily press conferences. National reporters are allowed four questions, while one is reserved for a local reporter.
It was unclear as of press time whether Phillips would be disciplined for his Facebook post.
Conservative spokesman Ryan Sparrow is reported to have said the party is focused on issues that matter to Canadians, not political strategy.
kdiakiw@surreyleader.com
~with files from CTV News