Hill frustrated with PMO's 'excessive control' before being shuffled

Photograph by Jake Wright, The Hill Times

Conservative MP Jay Hill was frustrated with the "excessive control" put upon him by the Prime Minister's Office in his government house leader job, before being shuffled out earlier this month, say opposition MPs who worked closely with him. Prime Minister Stephen Harper replaced him with John Baird to toe a more aggressive PMO-friendly line, they say.

But Conservatives say that's nonsense and that Mr. Hill (Prince George-Peace River, B.C.) and the PMO had a good working relationship. The Prime Minister put Mr. Baird (Ottawa West-Nepean, Ont.) in the job to get results and work collaboratively with the opposition.

Mr. Hill announced in late July that he wouldn't seek reelection, prompting Mr. Harper to shuffle him Aug. 6 out of the government house leader job he's held the last two years.

Source: The Hill Times