this man's bizarre claims, and looks forward to helping the RCMP demonstrate that they are completely false". Gillani also denied Snowdy's claim in testimony before the Commons committee investigating the issue, while the Globe and Mail reported that Snowdy had filed for bankruptcy in 2009 to cover over $13 million of debt, including $2 million of taxes owed. Resignation from party On April 9, 2010, Guergis resigned her post as Minister of State for Status of Women, and she was expelled from the Conservative caucus. In announcing the resignation and expulsion, PM Harper also said that he had asked both the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) and the Commons ethics commissioner Mary Dawson to investigate allegations about Guergis. Harper stated that pending the results of the investigation, Guergis would leave the Conservative caucus and sit as an independent. Guergis maintained at the time that she had no knowledge of what she was being accused of. Opposition MPs pressed the government for more details about the allegations, citing Harper's previous willingness to defend her. At Question Period on April 12, 2010, Michael Ignatieff, leader of the Official Opposition Liberals, wondered how soon the government would "tell Canadians the truth." His sentiments were echoed by NDP leader Jack Layton, who called for Harper to "come clean" about why Harper went so far as to call in the RCMP, because he was ultimately responsible for his ministers. Transport Minister John Baird, speaking for the government, was reticent with further details, saying only that Harper "acted quickly and appropriately" after being tipped off by an unknown "third party." Ignatieff has also linked the events to organized crime, due to the reports of cocaine being present: "I don’t want to make false accusations but you don’t get cocaine at a corner drug store, right? You have to get it from somewhere, from someone and usually that means organized crime". Some people have expressed concern that Guergis's right to due process (innocent until proven guilty) has been infringed upon. On The Michael Coren Show, commentator Akaash Maharaj, former Liberal and Independent MP John Nunziata, and host Coren himself voiced opposition to the way Guergis was being treated. "Whatever happened to due process in this country?" Nunziata said. On May 16, 2010 Alfred Apps, Canada's Liberal party president, said Guergis was treated unfairly by PM Stephen Harper. "This whole Guergis situation is what I hope will become