So what do the provincial New Democrats think about now former minister of state for mining Bill Bennett's controversial email to Fernie Rod and Gun Club president Maarten Hart? Referring specifically to Mr. Bennett's comment that he doesn't "give a shit" about American opinions on "Canada or Canadian residents," agriculture and land critic Corky Evans said, "It's not just rude - it's indicative of some kind of antipathy toward people who care for land on both sides of the border but especially from the United States. Being a person who was born there, am I not a good Canadian because of where I got born, because I'm an immigrant or because I don't think we should mine coal in the Flathead Valley?"

Continued Mr. Evans, "That letter was sent in November. How come you, Sean Holman, has got to catch him? What would have happened if you didn't publicize it? Where's the honour? Why hasn't the premier contacted his counterparts in the United States and say this guy is a renegade and I apologize? Or is the lesson here in public life, I've got to get caught before there's an ramifications?"