Canadian Conservatives Hold Steady as Duffy Damage Hits Harper

He directed issues management at the PMO and was part of the attempt to hide the source of Duffy’s repayment. Mike Duffy’s trial is wrapping up this week but Conservatives are unlikely to catch a break on ethics questions.

Court has also heard the circle of party and government staff who knew of the plan was much wider than the initial assertions that Duffy and former chief of staff Nigel Wright acted alone.

Harper still insists that the only people who knew about the Wright-Duffy deal were the two of them.

But he was the centre of attention on the federal campaign Thursday as the prime minister was pressed to show confidence in one of his most trusted and long-time confidants and current chief of staff.

The New Democratic Party is running an attack ad against the Conservatives that features pictures of several current and former Conservative Parliamentarians, staffers and party officials, categorizing them as either “under investigation”, “charged”, or “sent to jail”.

“It was either the evening of May the 14th (2013) or the morning of May the 15th, I’m not sure”.

“Mr. Wright interjected and said ‘Senator Duffy will be going ahead with repaying his expenses, because I will be paying for them, ‘” Perrin testified last week, recalling a conversation where he said Novak was seated next to him.

New emails submitted as evidence Monday in Duffy’s fraud, breach of trust and bribery trial reveal some of the scrambling that occurred in May 2014 when details of the $90,000 payment broke in the media. Kenney said the Duffy trial is a “legitimate story”, but it’s far from top-of-mind for voters.

Duffy quickly consulted with the law firm Nelligan O’Brien Payne to find out how to handle any ensuing scrutiny by the Senate ethics officer.

“I’ve been very clear”.

During the lengthy but collegial phone call, Duffy told Woodcock he had not done anything wrong and that it was his view there was a witch hunt against him.

Conservative spokesman Kory Teneycke said one of the travelling media outlets, Radio-Canada, did not have a reporter present to ask a question.

Asked about the so-called “scenario for repayment” – the plan to repay Duffy’s expenses – Woodcock testified he helped to draft it, collaborating with other members of the PMO.

It remains to be seen, he said, if the opposition parties can gain any advantage by keeping the ethical issues alive or whether the Conservatives can move on to other issues.

Woodcock left the PMO shortly after the Senate scandal and is now director of corporate relations at Canadian Mortgage and Housing Corporation.

Harper has been dogged by the Duffy trial, which resumes Monday in Ottawa and continues for yet one more week earlier than adjourning till November – after the October 19 election.