OTTAWA - The controversy over reimbursements for military funerals has descended into petty bickering among members of Parliament with the prime minister and Opposition leader debating who is the better Canadian.
The Opposition Liberals demanded the resignation of Defence Minister Gordon O'Connor after a military family came forward Wednesday, saying they were shortchanged over the burial expenses for their son, Cpl. Matthew Dinning.
Prime Minister Stephen Harper dismissed Liberal Leader Stephane Dion's criticism by saying the defence minister, a former army general, served the country for decades.
He told Dion when he puts on a uniform he might take the Liberal leader's opinion more seriously.
Deputy Liberal leader Michael Ignatieff shot back that Harper hasn't served in the military and went on to call for not only O'Connor's resignation, but Foreign Affairs Minister Peter MacKay and International Development Minister Josee Verner, calling them the "triple crown of incompetence.''
Harper says, as far as the Defence Department can tell, military families have been properly compensated for funeral expenses.
