Mike Duffy answers questions the Prime Minister has been avoiding

Today Prime Minister Stephen Harper refused to answer Thomas Mulcair’s questions about the involvement of PMO staff in the Nigel Wright-Mike Duffy affair:

• Thomas Mulcair: Mr. Speaker, on June 5, the Prime Minister said that no one else in his office knew about Nigel Wright's $90,000 payment to Mike Duffy. Was that true?
• Stephen Harper: Mr. Speaker, once again, I have addressed that question some months ago in fact. The fact of the matter is, as we all know, Mr. Wright himself has said that this was a decision he took himself. He admits it was an error of judgment and he has taken full responsibility for his actions.
• Thomas Mulcair: Did Nigel Wright tell the Prime Minister that no one else in his office was aware of the $90,000 payment? Did he tell him that, yes or no?
• Stephen Harper: Mr. Speaker, Nigel Wright is very clear that he took that decision. It is his responsibility. He accepted his responsibility for that decision, like this government accepts its responsibilities.
• Thomas Mulcair: Mr. Speaker, when the Prime Minister said to all Canadians, in this House, that no one else in his office was aware of the $90,000 payment to Mike Duffy, did anyone tell him it was false? Did he even ask the question?
• Stephen Harper: Mr. Speaker, I answered that question several months ago. The facts are clear. Mr. Wright made that decision alone. It’s his responsibility.

This evening, however, Mike Duffy appeared before the Senate and did what Stephen Harper refused to; he answered questions surrounding the attempted cover up, his resignation and the $90,000 cheque from Nigel Wright. Here is who Duffy implicated:

• “At least two lawyers from the PMO, one I know of from the conservative party, and my own lawyer.”
• "I was sent off to Deloitte, not by the board of internal economy but by the special sub-select committee ...by Senators Stewart-Olson, Tkachuk, and Furey."
• “With Ray Novak, my wife and my sister listening in on the call, Senator LeBreton was insistent, you have got to do this, Mike. Do what I'm telling you. Quit the caucus within the next 90 minutes. It's the only way to save your paycheque.”

It’s time for the Prime Minister to start telling Canadians the truth about what really went on in the PMO between current Chief of Staff to the Prime Minister Ray Novak, former Chief of Staff to the Prime Minister Nigel Wright, Senators Stewart-Olsen, Tkachuk, Furey, LeBreton, and the Prime Minister himself.

Canadians deserve better, Canadians deserve the truth.