The Current

Duffy vs. Harper: A Senate Scandal Showdown

Some analysts believe Senator Mike Duffy's fight to save his reputation ratchets up tensions with the Prime Minister's office and burdens the government with an explosive problem that isn't going away.
Senator Mike Duffy announced a monstrous political conspiracy against him, one laced with threats and intimidation. He unraveled a tale that appears to ensnare Stephen Harper personally. The Senator with nothing left to lose is now directly up against the Prime Minister who doesn't like to lose control. Today, we're looking at the implications.



Duffy vs. Harper ... get ready to rumble ...

What a roundhouse the Cavendish kid threw when he finally got the chance to let go in the Senate. Senator Duffy was every inch the heavyweight. And while the fixed link may still connect PEI with the mainland, Senator Duffy has likely burned a lot of other bridges with his Red chamber takedown.

"The Prime Minister wasn't interested in explanations or the truth. it's not about what you did its about the perception of what you did in the media. I was ordered by the PM, pay the money back. Finally the message from the PMO became, do what we want or else".Senator Mike Duffy

With their thoughts on the escalation in the Senate Spending Scandal and where it's heading, we were joined by three guests.


  • Tasha Kheiriddin is a columnist with iPolitics and The National Post. She was in Toronto.

  • Norman Spector was Chief of Staff to Prime Minister Brian Mulroney. He was in Victoria.

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This segment was produced by The Current's Gord Westmacott and Peter Mitton.