OTTAWA - What kind of allegation would spur a prime minister to call in the Mounties on one of his own cabinet ministers and immediately turf her from caucus?
Stephen Harper wrapped Parliament Hill in that mystery Friday as he suddenly announced the departure of Helena Guergis from the Conservative fold, but refused to say what she was accused of.
The night before, as Harper prepared for a major ceremony to commemorate the First World War, he received troubling information about the minister of state for the status of women that he could not stomach.
His office was already dealing with the fallout from a front-page story in The Toronto Star that alleged her husband, former MP Rahim Jaffer, had been bragging to business associates about his influence within the Tory halls of power.
Harper had stood uncomfortably behind Guergis, first when she was forced to apologize for a temper tantrum at Charlottetown airport and again when it was revealed that members of her staff had written letters to media outlets in her defence, without identifying their positions. But no more.
In addition to calling in the RCMP, Harper referred the mystery matter to the parliamentary ethics officer.
Guergis is the first minister to be removed from caucus. Even humiliated ex-foreign affairs minister Maxime Bernier escaped with relegation to the backbenches after leaving secret documents at his girlfriend's apartment.
"Last night my office became aware of serious allegations regarding the conduct of the honourable Helena Guergis," Harper told reporters hastily assembled in the foyer of the House of Commons.
"These allegations relate to the conduct of Ms. Guergis and do not involve any other ministers, MPs, senators or federal government employees.
"I'm very disappointed. It's a very sad day ... In this business, you get the brickbats as well as the bouquets, and when you confront these things you deal with them and that's what we've done."
Harper had spoken to Guergis by phone Friday morning and she offered her resignation from cabinet. Public Works Minister Rona Ambrose takes over Guergis' portfolio.
"It has become apparent through baseless allegations and unfounded assertions made about my family that I need to step aside to allow for the good work of our government to continue serving Canadians," Guergis said in her letter of resignation, which was obtained by The Canadian Press.
Harper's office would offer no additional details on what spurred the move to call in the police. RCMP spokesman Sgt. Greg Cox would only confirm the force had been referred a matter by the Prime Minister's Office.
Opposition leaders declared the matter a lack of judgment on Harper's part for waiting so long to fire Guergis. Both Liberal Leader Michael Ignatieff and NDP Leader Jack Layton demanded the prime minister shed more light on the unspecified allegations.
"There's an old expression -- the prime minister has got some 'splaining to do," Layton told reporters in Winnipeg. "I think that'll be happening in the House of Commons next week, and he'd better be prepared to give some answers to the Canadian people."
Apart from the new allegations that Harper referred to, it was widely expected within Conservative circles that Guergis's time in cabinet was drawing to a close.
On Thursday, the Toronto Star detailed the night that Jaffer had been arrested last year while speeding toward Guergis' riding north of Toronto, replete with references to "busty hookers," booze and fast cars.
It quoted an email sent by business associate of Jaffer's, saying the former MP had opened the doors of the Prime Minister's Office. It also said Jaffer had continued handing out his parliamentary business cards, even after losing office
Jaffer's business partner at the Ottawa-based Green Power Generation Corp. issued a release Thursday saying the story was inaccurate and mischaracterized Jaffer's dealings with the associates.
Jaffer was charged last September with drunk driving, cocaine possession and speeding, but pleaded guilty to the lesser charge of careless driving after the Crown said it did not expect to win a conviction on the others.
The Conservatives then had to defend Guergis for getting upset at Charlottetown airport during a trip in February and declaring the place a "Hellhole."
Guergis referred to the incident in a more general public statement Friday.
"The past nine months have been a very difficult time for me," she wrote. "I have made mistakes for which I have apologized. I want the people of P.E.I. to know that when I spoke emotionally I was speaking about the airport, as I would never insult my father's birthplace.
"I apologize again. I have worked hard for Canadian women and I am proud of my record of my accomplishments on their behalf."
Former Harper adviser Tom Flanagan said Harper is not necessarily averse to firing people -- he had dispatched staff in short order in the past. But he said getting rid of Guergis was all part of a political calculation, one that requires a constant balance for prime ministers who are always being pressured by the opposition to sack ministers.
"If you never fire ministers, you can obviously be badly hurt, but if you fire ministers every time somebody complains, your operation can be badly hurt," said Flanagan, now at the University of Calgary.
Guergis' sister, Christine Brayford, offered words of support.
"I love her, she is a kind and loving woman ... sister, daughter and aunt," Brayford said in an email to The Canadian Press. "I am proud to call her my sister."
