OTTAWA–Natural Resources Minister Lisa Raitt was under fire Thursday in the House of Commons in light of a Star story about a political fundraiser for her that was organized out of the Toronto Port Authority, a federal agency she once ran.

Critics called for an investigation by ethics commissioner Mary Dawson over whether Raitt breached the rules when the Sept. 24 $250-a-head Toronto fundraiser was run out of the office of the president of the port authority.

In a letter to Dawson, New Democrat MP Olivia Chow (Trinity-Spadina) said: "I'm sure you will agree that this story raised real concerns about the conduct of the minister involved as well as the impartiality of the TPA's board, management and staff."

Janet MacDonald, executive assistant to acting president Alan Paul, sent an invitation to the fundraiser on port authority email. MacDonald was formerly Raitt's assistant at the agency.

Registered lobbyist Michael Sweeney, vice-president industry affairs of the Cement Association of Canada, was also involved in helping organizing the event. His association lobbied the government eight times from March to August, including Raitt and Prime Minister Stephen Harper.

"This is a severe breach of ethics by Minister Raitt," Liberal MP Paul Szabo, chair of the parliamentary ethics committee said later.

Raitt could not be reached for comment.