But, under fire for privately calling the medical isotope shortage a "sexy" story and a chance to shine in the political limelight, the federal minister at the centre of a cancer treatment storm offered no apology to the Commons.

And Prime Minister Stephen Harper made clear he doesn't expect her to.

Instead, Harper defended his natural resources minister against criticism from Liberal Leader Michael Ignatieff.

Harper said Raitt, the minister in charge of the reactor shutdown that has triggered a looming shortage of isotopes critical to heart and cancer tests, has been "working around the clock" to manage the crisis.

He accused the Liberals of "playing cheap politics" with the issue.

In a conversation inadvertently recorded in January by a then-aide and made public yesterday by a Halifax newspaper, Raitt also says she looks forward to getting credit for fixing the isotope crisis and expresses doubts about the skill of Health Minister Leona Aglukkaq.

Yesterday, many cancer patients and their families said Raitt should apologize for her remarks.

"I find it offensive that she would play with people's lives in such an offhanded manner," said an Ottawa mother who didn't want to be named, but whose daughter survived Hodgkin's lymphoma. "I absolutely think she should apologize." Continued....