Friday, May 29, 2015

The Wright Thing

                                              
The Duffy trial is about to resume. The question hanging over the proceedings is: What will Nigel Wright say when he takes the stand? Michael Harris writes:

It is doubtful that Nigel Wright will endorse [Donald] Bayne’s argument that the demonizing of Duffy was a “fraud, a fiction and a lie.” But will he cover for the prime minister?

People who know Wright say he will not. For one thing, he’s a lawyer who understands the oath and, at the best of times, uses language like a man defusing a bomb. This is the worst of times, so Nigel will be checking his zipper twice before leaving the loo. For another, he’s a businessman who could be ruined by taking one for the team, because the truth might seep out elsewhere.

People who know Stephen Harper suspect that prime minister is in for a rough ride:

One iconic Conservative player (who once described the PM as a “lying weasel”) told me Harper might be able to survive Duffy’s acquittal — but not being caught telling a big lie. In that player’s opinion, Harper is in for a rude awakening. Under oath, with the right questions, and with a judge who will allow some latitude in Bayne’s questioning, the truth will come out. It’s one thing to be thrown under the bus. It’s quite another to crawl under it yourself — with your hand on the Bible.

Meanwhile, the Senate is doing its best to close the closet door:

Now, in a state of decorous pandemonium, the Senate is disgracing itself yet again — trying to use parliamentary privilege to keep information vital to Duffy’s defence secret. The Senate leadership is stepping on old men, women and children in a mad rush for the lifeboats. They are devising an escape for the forty or so other Duffys and Wallins and Brazeaus who will soon be thrashing around in the wider net cast by Auditor General Michael Ferguson and his $21 million audit.

It will be fascinating to watch and listen when Nigel does the Wright Thing.

image: www.huffingtonpost.ca

10 comments:

Anonymous said...

Kinda funny but not so much to watch this spectacular show and the Senate's actions.

What Owen what they never graduated kindergarten?

Mogs

Owen Gray said...

Sometimes it looks like a big sandbox, Mogs.

Anonymous said...

Good news after Baird Harper's Sargent jumps off of the Harper-con ship now Mackay the Lieutenant abandons the HMS Harper's ship as well...

https://ca.news.yahoo.com/justice-minister-peter-mackay-announce-hes-leaving-federal-130201261.html

Time for celebration I feel the orange crush that started in Alberta will steam roll all of Harper's former strongholds.

Cheers Owen,
Mogs

Owen Gray said...

Perhaps Flaherty, Baird and Mackay knew or know how the trial will turn out, Mogs.

Rural said...

We wonder how much the number of Con MPs quitting has to do with the pension changes which sees them paying a bigger share and waiting longer to collect (rats raiding the grain store) and how much is a case of 'rats leaving a sinking ship'. Certainly they must be concerned that the truth will come out in the Duffy trial and they will be out of a job anyway, Owen.

Owen Gray said...

I suspect they think it's better to leave before the stuff really hits the fan, Rural.

The Mound of Sound said...

Wright will be centre-stage but there might be far more damaging evidence extracted from Harper's former personal legal advisor, Ben Perrin. The UBC law prof claims to have clean hands but his abrupt departure from Ottawa back to the coast after the cash was transmitted begs a load of questions. Someone transmitted Wright's cheque to Duffy's then solicitor, Janet Payne, with a number of undertakings attached. Her correspondence file could make for interesting reading.

I've heard of a Perrin email in which he discusses the prospects of Duffy going rogue. Apparently Perrin says there's enough dirt to bury Duffy or at least bankrupt him. That email should make for some juicy cross-examination when Perrin is called. It won't do Perrin or Harper a bit of good either.

Toby said...

It's not new to this government but MPs resent taking orders from unelected little Hitlers in the PMO. Harper's PMO must be miserable to work with.

Owen Gray said...

You'd think that -- after awhile -- they'd rise in revolt, Toby.

Owen Gray said...

I've read somewhere that Perrin claimed Duffy could be buried. If there's a paper trail to that claim, this whole saga could get really messy, Mound. And I'd think there would come a time when Harper couldn't talk himself out of the mess.