Police Expert: Re-Open the Duffy Case and Question Stephen Harper

Stephen Harper did something yesterday that he hasn't done before. He actually mentioned the name of Ray Novak.

But even though Novak has now been shown to be at the heart of the Duffy scandal.

Harper is still refusing to fire him.

Stephen Harper is sticking by his chief of staff despite evidence that Ray Novak was aware of the controversial deal to provide $90,000 to senator Mike Duffy in 2013. At a campaign event in eastern Ontario on Sunday, the Conservative Leader made it clear that he has rejected calls from other parties to fire Mr. Novak, who is his longest-serving aide.

Still repeating the same old story:

“‎Mr. Novak has been very clear with me,” Mr. Harper said, without stating whether his aide knew about the payment. “Mr. Duffy is the only one on trial. In my judgment, he should not have taken it.” Mr. Harper added Mr. Wright “was the boss. He is fully responsible for (his actions).”

And still trying to limit questions from reporters  

Limiting journalists covering the Conservatives' re-election campaign to five questions per day and prohibiting follow-up queries is long-standing party policy, leader Stephen Harper says.

On Sunday, however, Harper only took four questions in total. Conservative spokesman Kory Teneycke said one of the travelling media outlets, Radio-Canada, did not have a reporter present to ask a question. He added that the same thing happened at a Harper event a week earlier.

Or drown them out.

One national reporter present at the event tried to shout a question at Harper following the fourth question. He asked Harper why there was no fifth question. But his voice was quickly drowned out by the music of Collective Soul, as someone at the venue turned on Harper's most-popular campaign theme song and cranked up the volume.

For he will do ANYTHING to protect his precious Robin...



But if Harper won't fire Novak, or allow reporters to properly question that decision, the question the RCMP should be asked is why don't they re-open the Duffy investigation?

As this distinguished former police investigator says they should. 

The RCMP should re-open its investigation into the Duffy affair and question the prime minister, multiple senators, and senior members of the PMO's current and former staff in light of new evidence, says an expert in high-profile criminal investigations.

After what the testimony of Benjamin Perrin, has now revealed about that monstrous cover-up.



The evidence that has come from Perrin indicates expanded avenues that warrant re-investigation of Senators Tkachuk, Stewart-Olsen, Gerstein and LeBreton. I think they would all have to be re-interviewed based on that testimony.

I would be further investigating Wright, Novak and the others in the PMO for breach of trust, possibly perjury and whatever other charges I found appropriate in the Criminal Code. I’d bring them all back in for interviews to investigate further. 

The prime minister needs to be interviewed at this point, too, given Perrin’s evidence.

For as I pointed out in my last post, the RCMP's investigator Corporal Greg Horton once felt he had reasonable grounds to believe that Nigel Wright had committed a criminal offence.

Nigel Wright between February 6, 2013, and March 28, 2013, at Ottawa, Ontario did directly or indirectly corruptly give or offer to a member of Parliament for the benefit of that person, any money, valuable consideration, or office in respect of anything done or omitted, or to be done or omitted by him in his official capacity contrary to section 119(l)(b) of the Criminal Code.

So we need to know why that went nowhere.

I wonder if, after executing his production orders, did Cpl. Horton still feel Wright had committed the offences in his Information to Obtain (production of documents) and if not, why not? What evidence, if any, did he obtain to change his mind? Who decided not to charge Wright, and was that in exchange for anything in his testimony to help convict Duffy? Is that communicated in any documents and if not, why not?

And as I also pointed out in my last post, the RCMP commissioner Bob Paulson must answer those questions or risk having the force look even more like the Harper Police.



By not speaking to this, in even the most muted terms, the RCMP could be interpreted as helping the current government, and that’s troubling. If this were any other organization in Canada where the public was getting daily concerning evidence of corruption, there would be comment or assurance to the public that this matter’s being investigated.

So one way or the other Stephen Harper will not be able to dodge questions about Novak's role in the scandal. 

Or shield his beloved aide forever...



And since we all know that if Novak knew about the Duffy pay off so did Harper.

Those questions will dog him all the way to the election.

Novak is now Harper's Achilles heel, his most intimate link to the scandal.

And as Nigel Wright once warned his fellow conspirators.

It will end badly...

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