Parry Sound-Muskoka MP Tony Clement came under fire last week from Liberal opposition members over a 48-hour trip to Denver, Colorado in the middle of the listeriosis outbreak in Ontario, as well as other parts of the country.

Clement has responded by accusing the Liberals of attempting to score political points by exploiting a tragedy.

The war of words comes as the battle of the sound bytes heats up between Canada’s national political leaders following a week of hints from Prime Minister Stephen Harper that a fall election is looming.

In a news release sent to this newspaper by Parry Sound-Muskoka federal Liberal candidate Jamie McGarvey, the party’s federal health critic Dr. Carolyn Bennett accused the MP and federal health minister of  “enjoying himself at cocktail receptions at the Democratic National Convention in Denver (Colorado, when) people back home are dying.”

Clement was in Denver from Monday to Wednesday at the national convention, which saw Barack Obama officially crowned as the presidential candidate for the Democratic Party.

“When is this minister going to start taking the health of Canadians seriously? When is he going to start doing the job he was appointed to do?” said Bennett in the press release. “Mr. Clement needs to explain to the victims of this outbreak and the families of those who have died why American politics is more important to him than the health and safety of Canadians.”

Clement told this newspaper that he was in Denver having meetings with “high-level Democrats” on issues related to the federal cabinet’s environment and energy committee, which he chairs.

“I was there to engage the Democrats, should they form the next administration, about Canada’s interests when it comes to energy and the environment. That’s part of my job,” he said Friday, adding that the federal government will have a similar presence at the Republican National Convention this week.

Following his trip to Colorado, Clement flew to Inuvik, Nunavut for a federal cabinet meeting.

Clement maintained that throughout his trips he has been available 24/7 to public health agency officials who are in the process of seeking to determine how many Canadians have been affected by the listeriosis outbreak.

Listeriosis is a rare but serious illness that can occur in humans when the listeria bacterium is ingested. Found naturally in the environment, listeria can sometimes be found on products such as raw milk or unwashed fruits and vegetables, as well as deli meats and soft cheeses.

An outbreak of the bacteria, which originated at a Maple Leaf Foods plant in Toronto, has caused the recall of hundreds of meat products manufactured in the plant, including a variety of fast food and grocery store items.

As of press time, 11 deaths have been directly linked to the outbreak with a total 29 cases that have been confirmed and another 36 under investigation.

One of the confirmed deaths occurred in the catchment area of the Simcoe/Muskoka District Health Unit, but officials would not give any further information on where the victim resided.

“I was just as available Monday to Wednesday in Denver as I am today in Parry Sound-Muskoka, and just as available (as I was) yesterday in Inuvik,” said Clement on Friday. “I was available and active (making) sure my officials are doing what they need to do.”

Clement also pointed out that he is not the lead minister on the food recall. That falls on agriculture minister Gerry Ritz, whose ministry includes the Canadian Food Inspection Agency.

He explained that the public health agency is involved in a “forensic” investigation, tracking all possible cases of listeriosis linked to the outbreak.

“Think of it as (the popular forensic crime drama) CSI, only it takes a lot longer than a one-hour show,” he said.

“If Carolyn Bennett thinks that the best way to do the health minister job is to sit at a desk in Ottawa, she’s wrong. She doesn’t understand the position; she doesn’t understand the role of health minister . . . . Shame on Dr. Bennett and shame on Jamie McGarvey for using the tragic deaths of people to try and score political points.”