[Harold Gilleshammer] was a Tory MLA in Manitoba for 15 years and a cabinet minister for nine years. Until late last week, he was an assistant to Manitoba Tory MP Merv Tweed.

Gilleshammer said all governments get accused of patronage if someone with party connections is appointed. But he said if you "look deeper than that," you'd find it isn't the case for him.

Gilleshammer was Manitoba's minister of culture, family and citizenship from 1993 until 1997, responsible for Manitoba's immigration programs. He was the minister when Manitoba signed its first provincial nominee program agreement with Ottawa in 1998.