Manitoba MP Pat Martin wrote Bernard Shapiro yesterday asking him to investigate whether former PM Paul Martin broke the rules by enticing Stronach to cross the floor with a plum cabinet post.

"We believe the parallels between the Emerson affair and the Stronach affair are identical, and that Mr. Shapiro in investigating one will now have the licence to comment on the other," Martin said.

The NDP did not ask that Scott Brison, who also crossed the floor from the Tories to the Grits, be part of the inquiry because he did not immediately join the cabinet and because he cited his party's position on same-sex marriage as reason for his departure.

Meanwhile, the Liberals yesterday demanded Harper fire Calgary MP Deepak Obhrai from his parliamentary secretary post for his "offensive" and "outrageous" allegations levelled at Shapiro.

"Mr. Obhrai, in a completely irresponsible and unfounded way, attempted to blame the ethics commissioner for a family tragedy," said Liberal MP Dominic LeBlanc.

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