PM’s former chief of staff testifies

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The highest profile witness in the Mike Duffy trial started his testimony. Nigel Wright, the Prime Minister’s former chief of staff took the stand today in his long-awaited testimony. Wright said he didn’t tell Stephen Harper about a plan that would have seen the Conservative party foot the bill for Duffy’s disallowed housing and travel claims.

Today’s testimony was all about the $ 90 000 transaction that is central to 3 of the 31 criminal charges Duffy faces in a trial that one expert says people will be paying close attention to as voters head to the polls this fall.

Under oath, Stephen Harper’s former right hand man answered questions about what led to his decision to give senator Mike Duffy $90 000 to repay his questionable expenses.

Nigel Wright says he didn’t tell the prime minister about a plan that would have seen the conservative party fund cover the repayment. He also answered questions about an email indicating they were “good to go from the PM.” Wright says it referred to Duffy’s so-called media lines.

“‘Good to go’ means that the points I wanted to raise with the PM had been raised and that we could proceed with the plan.”

At a campaign event in Vancouver, Harper backed up Wright’s testimony.

“Mr. Duffy came to me and I said to him that his expenses in my judgement could not be justified. You cannot justify claiming expenses you did not actually incur.”

NDP leader Tom Mulcair says it’s Stephen Harper who is on trial.

“Mr. Harper has time and again said one thing and it’s opposite during this whole Duffy/ Wright affair and when you said one thing and the opposite it’s quite obvious both can’t be true.”

McMaster political science professor Henry Jacek says the Duffy trial is a reflection of Stephen Harper’s judgement.

“People expect that a Prime Minister is going to appoint high quality people to important offices and this whole trial just reminds people that Stephen Harper hasn’t done that.”

Although it’s fairly early in the campaign, Jacek says the trial will make it difficult for Harper to win his job back in the fall.

Wright eventually paid the $90 000 out of his own pocket.

The wealthy Hamilton-born businessman says he paid for many things within the Prime Minister’s office rather than charging them to the taxpayers.

Duffy has pleaded not guilty to all 31 charges he faces.