The former director of issues management is testifying today at the fraud, breach of trust and bribery trial of Sen.
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“Everything we have heard at the Duffy trial suggests there exists a culture of expedience in the prime minister’s office: aides and advisers understand that their job in such situations is to make the problem go away, by whatever means necessary”.
That said, while Harper is one of the best “at staying on message”, one of the noticeable impacts of the latest developments in court has been the degree to which the focus has been on Harper’s office and style of leadership.
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.
Lawyer Christopher Rootham told him that because firm colleague Janice Payne had helped to strike a repayment deal with Wright, the repayment should be described as a “contract”.
“For them to see some wavering or softening among their leaning-but-not-locked-in voters, that is very risky for them”, said Shachi Kurl, senior vice president of the Angus Reid Institute, which released a poll at the end of last week on the Duffy trial’s impact.
But the trial testimony is demonstrating that other members of Harper’s inner circle were aware Wright was going to give Duffy $90,172 to pay off his disputed expenses.
Questions last week from journalists at a Harper campaign stop caused several outbursts from supporters, including one who confronted reporters afterward accusing them of being tax cheats and calling one a “lying piece of sh-t”. He predicted that the Duffy trial is pulling the Conservatives down the same way the Liberal sponsorship scandal damaged that party in 2004 and 2006. Kurl said.
Mr. Lyle said he was not surprised Mr. Harper has been sidestepping questions as answering them directly or taking any action based on new information would generate more damaging news stories-if Mr. Harper had fired Mr. Novak, it would have been a more newsworthy event compared to not answering questions. Those figures are little changed from August 2, when the prime minister triggered the election.
Harper has placed the blame for the Duffy scandal squarely on the shoulders of Wright and the senator, saying subordinates shouldn’t be the ones held accountable.
On Sunday, however, Harper only took four questions in total.
“The Conservative strategy at this point is time heals all wounds”, said Austin, now a consultant with Summa Strategies in Ottawa.
Michele Austin, a former Conservative campaign strategist, said the length of the campaign – Canada’s longest since 1872 – – will work in the party’s favor.
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“I found the prime minister’s qualifier revealing”, he said in Vancouver. “But as I said there’s plenty of time”.
