Benjamin Perrin had only been the PMO lawyer for a year before the Duffy scandal erupted so he wasn't part of the Con cult.
He never drank the Koolaid.
So today when his turn came to testify at the Duffy trial he let the truth fly.
And managed to knock down Stephen Harper, Nigel Wright, and Ray Novak.
Ray Novak, Stephen Harper's chief of staff, was told before and during a 2013 conference call that Nigel Wright would personally repay Mike Duffy's expenses, a former lawyer for the Prime Minister's Office told court, contradicting claims by the Conservative campaign.
Benjamin Perrin, testifying at the Duffy trial in Ottawa, said he, Wright (then Harper's chief of staff) and Novak were all in Wright's office on March 22, 2013, as Wright was about to make a call with Duffy's then-lawyer about the issue of the senator's expenses.
He demolished the Con claim that Ray Novak didn't know about the deal. He made Wright's testimony look dubious to say the least.
And he heaped scorn on Stephen Harper's proposal to loosen the residency requirements for appointing Senators.
Perrin said he was "taken aback" by Stephen Harper's position that an individual only needed to own $4,000 of property in a province to be constitutionally qualified to represent the region.
Perrin testified he wouldn't consider himself a resident of Nunavut simply because he owned property there.
Which left Stephen Harper denying what can no longer be denied. And clinging to Ray Novak for all the reasons I outlined here.
At a campaign event in Newmarket, Ont. Thursday, Harper said Novak still had his confidence as his chief of staff.
"I've been very clear, when people are working for me, they have my confidence. If they didn't have my confidence they wouldn't be working for me," Harper said.
While lying on his back on the canvas...
He may rise to fight again. But he will now be under pressure to fire Ray Novak.
What was left of his credibility has been shattered.
His campaign has been derailed.
And his days in power are almost certainly numbered...
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Looks like the Harper has finally sucker punched himself, knocked himself out... and is down for the count. The closet bunker looks to be his last retreat and final resort. Hotel Hubris, Harper's home sweet home. Karma!
ReplyDeleteBill
hi Bill....yes someone finally connected. Harper will still claim that Ray Novak didn't tell him what was going on. But good luck with that one...
DeleteP.S. Do you know how to recommend Donald Bayne for the Order of Canada? ;)
If Harper fires Novak, then to be consistent, Harper will then have no choice but to fire himself! 8-)
ReplyDeletehi David...well that's one reason he WON'T fire him....
DeleteI dont think he will fire novak, but I bet this week Novak resigns leaves the PMO, and Im sure he wont leave Harper's side, as there is much more to that relationship then just staff/business/servant.
ReplyDeleteFrom the public's point of view, there's no real difference between leaving a job and being fired. And of course if the Cons are defeated on Oct. 19, Novak will end up working for Harper the MP--if Harper doesn't quit like Jim Prentice did after the Albertacons lost the Alberta election.
Deletehi Deb...I'm not sure that Novak will be fired or resign. As you point out, and I did in my last post, Harper depends on him for all kinds of reasons. And they will probably choose to keep Novak under wraps and hope that the fuss dies down when the trial recesses next week....
Deleteyes Im sure you are right.
Deleteand David good point, I thought resigning looked more respectable but I guess in politics it means the same.
I fear there isnt a closet big enough to hide Harper and Novak, but they sure are trying.
Harper and Flanagan and Ezra Levant are Flanagan students. The relationship between Novak and Harper will probably be the stuff of historical research and literary imagination in years to come. Ray and Stephen, Laureen Harper, John Baird, Jason Kenney, Moore, and the Big Daddy of the bunch, Flanagan.... some interesting emotional interactions at play here.
ReplyDeletehi Anthony....yes they are all graduates of the so-called Calgary School, a reactionary dump if ever there was one. However, when you add up the cast of Con characters, they will make a good opera one day...;)
DeleteHas anyone made "let me be clear" into a drinking game? Hopefully not, because we'd all be blotto for the rest of this campaign!
ReplyDeletehi Cathie....good one and so true. My theory is he needs that line to give him a couple of seconds to think out his next lie...
DeleteStephen Harper’s media strategy only hurting his campaign
ReplyDeletehttp://news.nationalpost.com/full-comment/michael-den-tandt-stephen-harpers-media-strategy-only-hurting-his-campaign
hi anon...yes I read the article and it does make sense. When they give reporters only five questions a day, and they don't allow follow-ups, why should they be surprised that all of them are about the Duffy trial?
DeleteAnd yet some 25-30% of the Canadian voting population will STILL vote for these criminals.
ReplyDeleteI just don't get it.
could reasonably conclude those 25-30% like crooks, criminals, P.M.s with really bad hair and make up.
DeleteIn the future they call it a Snowcrash.
ReplyDeleteFrom the Stephen Harper Non-Answer Generator:
ReplyDelete5. "The facts are clear. I have been very clear about this matter. I have been very clear on that. This is crystal clear. Absolutely crystal clear."