Assistant upset by MP's job snub

Maria Trinh was "mad" that Richmond MP Raymond Chan turned down her promotion for a job with the Foreign Affairs department.
That's according to Isabel Brown, a former member of Chan's staff who was in regular contact with Trinh when the two worked for Chan between October 1993 and September 1994.
"She was annoyed that Hillary Humphrey got the job and she hadn't," Brown testified Monday in Trinh's wrongful dismissal suit against Chan in B.C. Supreme Court in Vancouver Monday.
"She felt she was owed that position."
Trinh did not mention to her the alleged sexual harassment that she claims forced her out of her position, Brown also testified. Trinh seemed to act normal and her behavior did not change during her tenure with Chan, she said.
Both Brown and Humphrey, who also took the stand Monday, described Chan as a "warm and outgoing" employer, who regularly patted co-workers on the arm or shoulder, either as a greeting or to thank them for their work.
Both said they would be surprised if Chan did harass Trinh.
"It's totally out of character," Brown said.
Under cross-examination by Trinh's lawyer, Paul Jaffe, Brown acknowledged that Trinh would not normally show signs that she was upset. Brown recalled a time when Trinh was upset about a co-worker yelling at her in the Richmond office that she went to her car to cry, away from her colleagues.
Trinh also didn't display any discomfort in the Ottawa offices, according to Humphrey. She said Trinh showed no reluctance to joining Chan and other staff members when they went out to dinner.
However, Jaffe suggested to Humphrey that she wanted Chan to win the case because he could fire her without notice if he disliked her testimony.
He criticized Humphrey for not thoroughly checking Chan's 1994 travel schedules - even though she was asked too - regarding a time when Trinh claims the MP harassed her in Ottawa. (Chan's lawyers have suggested the MP was too busy flying between Vancouver and central Canada, and spending weekends at home, to find the time to harass Trinh.)
As well, Jaffe grilled Humphrey for discussing the case with Chan prior to the trial. Humphrey admitted briefly talking about the lawsuit with Chan when it first arose - and recalled him denying all the accusations - but insisted she did not tell him what evidence she was expected to tell the court.
"You wish Raymond Chan would win?" Jaffe asked.
"I hope that this decision is found to be positive because I find it hard to believe," Humphrey replied.
The case is expected to continue to Thursday. Chan will likely take the stand today (Wednesday).