The allegation that a circle of advisers in Harper’s office knew of his then-chief of staff Wright’s plan to provide funds to Duffy appears in court documents released last week, and challenges statements made by the prime minister on the subject.
According to the sworn RCMP affidavit, Wright’s lawyer told the Mounties that Wright told three people in Harper’s office he would personally provide funds to repay Duffy’s expenses: Benjamin Perrin, former legal adviser; David van Hemmen, current executive assistant to the chief of staff; and Chris Woodcock, director of issues management.
Wright resigned in May after news of his $90,000 cheque to Duffy became public. But Woodcock and van Hemmen remain employees in the Prime Minister’s Office.
Harper communications director Andrew MacDougall wouldn’t say whether the two men will remain employees in the office or whether any action will be taken against them. The office doesn’t comment on staffing, he said.
“This decision was made by Mr. Wright and he has taken full responsibility. There are ongoing investigations into this matter and we will assist if asked to do so,” MacDougall said.
None of the allegations in the document — which is a summary of the case police are using to obtain Senate records and other evidence — has been tested in court. No charges have been laid.
The allegation that Wright told people in the Prime Minister’s Office about his plan contradicts Harper’s statement in the House of Commons that Wright had acted alone and hadn’t told anyone in his office about the deal.
“It was Mr. Wright who made the decision to take his personal funds and give those to Mr. Duffy so that Mr. Duffy could reimburse the taxpayers. Those were his decisions. They were not communicated to me or to members of my office,” Harper said on June 5.
Asked about the new revelations on Saturday in Calgary, Harper reiterated that he didn’t know about Wright’s decision to reimburse Sen. Duffy until May 15, after media reports, and that, had he known about it, he wouldn’t have allowed it.
“When I answered questions about this in the House of Commons, I answered questions to the best of my knowledge, and what’s in the affidavit is the extent of what we know. And I think if you read the affidavit, it makes very clear that the decision to pay money to Mr. Duffy out of Mr. Wright’s personal accounts was made solely . . . by Mr. Wright. It was his responsibility. So this was not a decision of the office.”
The document indicates the RCMP is pursuing Duffy for two allegations of breach of trust and another allegation of fraud on the government for improper expense claims to the Senate, and for taking Wright’s money.
The investigators say believe the deal was unknown to the prime minister himself.
Also told about the payment plan, the RCMP alleges, was Sen. Irving Gerstein, who oversees the Conservative party’s fund.
According to the document, Wright’s lawyers said the federal Conservative party initially planned to repay Duffy’s improperly claimed living expenses using taxpayer-subsidized party funds when the amount owing was believed to be about $32,000. The party balked, however, at the actual sum owing and did not pay it.
“The party took the line that it was wrong to make an illegal payout of $90,000 but it was OK to make an illegal payout of $30,000,” said NDP ethics critic Charlie Angus. “They were going to use the donations that trusting Canadians gave them on the promise that they were there to clean up Ottawa.”
Angus accused Harper of misleading Canadians when he said Wright acted alone, saying his credibility on the matter has deteriorated.
“The prime minister can’t escape this because he misled Canadians. His key ministers misled Canadians,” he said. “For the prime minister to say at this time that Nigel Wright acted alone, it’s preposterous.”
Original Article
Source: canada.com
Author: Michael Woods
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