▁Chr ét ien ▁called ▁the ▁election ▁anyway , ▁Al cock ▁transformed ▁his ▁campaign ▁office ▁into ▁a ▁volunte er ▁relief ▁centre . ▁He ▁was ▁personally ▁involved ▁in ▁sand bag ging ▁and ▁ev acu ation ▁efforts ▁and ▁did ▁not ▁act ively ▁campaign ▁in ▁the ▁first ▁period ▁of ▁the ▁election . ▁ ▁He ▁was ▁non eth eless ▁returned ▁by ▁a ▁significant ▁margin . ▁From ▁ 1 9 9 8 ▁to ▁ 2 0 0 0 , ▁he ▁served ▁as ▁parliament ary ▁secretary ▁to ▁the ▁President ▁of ▁the ▁Queen ' s ▁Priv y ▁Council ▁for ▁Canada ▁and ▁Minister ▁of ▁Inter g overn ment al ▁Affairs . ▁In ▁ 1 9 9 8 , ▁he ▁brought ▁forward ▁a ▁private ▁member ' s ▁bill ▁to ▁over turn ▁Louis ▁R iel ' s ▁conv iction ▁for ▁high ▁tre ason ▁and ▁recognize ▁him ▁as ▁a ▁Father ▁of ▁Confeder ation . ▁ ▁There ▁were ▁frequent ▁rum ours ▁that ▁Al cock ▁would ▁be ▁appointed ▁to ▁the ▁Chr ét ien ▁cabinet , ▁but ▁he ▁was ▁passed ▁over ▁on ▁more ▁than ▁one ▁occasion . ▁His ▁professional ▁relationship ▁with ▁Chr ét ien ▁d eter ior ated ▁after ▁ 2 0 0 0 , ▁and ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 2 ▁he ▁became ▁the ▁primary ▁Man it oba ▁organ izer ▁for ▁Paul ▁Martin ' s ▁bid ▁to ▁replace ▁Chr ét ien ▁as ▁party ▁leader . ▁In ▁the ▁same ▁year , ▁he ▁became ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁first ▁Liberal ▁MP s ▁to ▁open ly ▁call ▁for ▁Chr ét ien ' s ▁res ignation . ▁Al cock ▁increased ▁his ▁public