Many questions remain unanswered and Canadians, with good reason, are appalled by the developments of The Duffy Affair. From the rules Duffy broke in the Senate to the political implications, this scandal exploded like fireworks and Harper's Integrity took a real hit.
We all remember the 2006 campaign where then-Conservative candidate Stephen Harper promised government would conduct business differently. He said,
"There's going to be a new code on Parliament Hill: bend the rules, you will be punished; break the law, you will be charged; abuse the public trust, you will go to prison. If you behave unethically or dishonestly then do not expect a reward from this Prime Minister of Canada."However, this would prove to not be the case when former Conservative senator Mike Duffy received a $90,172 cheque from Prime Minister Stephen Harper's right hand man to repay inappropriate Housing Allowance expenses.
Then, one thing led to another and the scandal started to unfold, becoming more damning with every report that was released. It comes to question Harper's record of integrity, one that was his central promise in 2006.
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Here is a timeline of how the events unfolded:
This timeline will be updated as events unfold and will link to articles with more details.
November 30, 2005
Conservative Leader Stephen Harper promises to strengthen accountability in Ottawa and announces: "There's going to be a new code on Parliament Hill: bend the rules, you will be punished; break the law, you will be charged; abuse the public trust, you will go to prison. If you behave unethically or dishonestly then do not expect a reward from this Prime Minister of Canada."January 6, 2006
Conservative Leader Stephen Harper is elected Prime Minister of Canada leading a minority government.
December 22, 2008
Prime Minister Stephen Harper appoints Mike Duffy, Patrick Brazeau, and Pamela Wallin among 18 other people to be Conservative senators.
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July 27, 2009
Email exchange shows then-Conservative Senator Mike Duffy asked for more perks for role within Conservative PartyFor more details
September 25-28, 2009
Email exchange shows then-Conservative Senator Mike Duffy was inquiring on financing and staffing options for his role in Conservative campaigns.For more details
April 27, 28, 29, 2011
An audit released May 8, 2013 finds then-Conservative Senator Mike Duffy claims business fees while being at an "other location." Conservative invoices declare Duffy's campaign expenses which include a flight to Toronto from Ottawa and hotel charges.
December 4, 2012
Then-Conservative Senator Mike Duffy joins Patrick Brazeau in the line of fire over suspected inappropriate use of the Housing Allowance Perk.For more details
February 6, 2013
Then-Conservative Senator Mike Duffy tries to dodge media questions about his housing allowance claims: "You should be doing adult work. Write about energy." He then left the kitchen.For more details
February 8, 2013
The senate announces it will have Deloitte run a forensic audit on senators Mike Duffy, Patrick Brazeau and Mac Harb.February 12, 2013
Then-Conservative Senator Patrick Brazeau thrown out of Conservative caucus over Sexual Assault charges.February 13, 2013
Prime Minister Stephen Harper defends then-Conservative senator Pamela Wallin's travel expenses telling the House of Commons: "In terms of Senator Wallin, I have looked at the numbers. Her travel costs are comparable to any parliamentarian travelling from that particular area of the country over that period of time. For instance, last year Senator Wallin spent almost half of her time in the province she represents in the Senate. The costs are to travel to and from that province, as any similar parliamentarian would do."For more details
February 20, 2013
Then-Conservative Senator Mike Duffy makes a secret arrangement with Prime Minister Stephen Harper's chief of staff Nigel Wright to repay the housing allowance while having the government go easy on him. This would only be released to the public after CTV first uncovered this information on May 14, 2013.For more details
February 22, 2013
Then-Conservative Senator Mike Duffy announces while he thinks he did nothing wrong he and his wife "are going to voluntarily pay back my living expenses related to the house we have in Ottawa." He then tries to dodge an audit into senate spending, claiming the forms to be confusing as to what they want as an address.For more details
March 26, 2013
Then-Conservative Senator Mike Duffy's legal council sends Deloitte a letter informing them Duffy has repaid the dues and is opting out of the audit.April 18, 2013
Then-Conservative Senator Mike Duffy tells Global News he is waiting for the audit's findings to determine if he will repay housing allowance expenses.April 19, 2013
Then-Conservative Senator Mike Duffy announces he's repaid the $90,172.24 housing allowance fee and the Senate's committee of internal economy confirms receipt of the payment but doesn't specify when it was made.May 8, 2013
Audit finds senators have to repay money. Then-Conservative Senator Mike Duffy was let off the hook as he repaid his $90,172 debt. The audit noted his refusal to cooperate with the investigation. In addition, Then-Conservative Senator Patrick Brazeau was charged $48,744 and Liberal Senator Mac Harb was charged $51,482.For more details
May 9, 2013
Prime Minister Stephen Harper tells the House of Commons: "Mr. Speaker ... an independent external auditor was brought in to examine all of these expenses. He looked obviously at the expenses of three particular senators who have had some difficulty. The auditor has concluded that the rules in place were not clear, however, the Senate itself has decided it expects better judgement from the senators. Senator Duffy some months ago repaid the money and the Senate has decided that other senators will be expected to similarly repay those amounts."May 12, 2013
RCMP confirms it is looking into the findings of the audit.For more details
May 14, 2013
CTV news learns a secret arrangement was made between then-Conservative Senator Mike Duffy and Prime Minister Stephen Harper's chief of staff Nigel Wright to go easy on Duffy and pay his debt.For more details
May 15, 2013
Prime Minister's Office releases a statement which comes clean about the secret deal, confirming Prime Minister Stephen Harper's chief of staff Nigel Wright wrote a $90,172 cheque as a gift to Mike Duffy. Questions spiral as to why Wright paid Duffy's housing expenses. The gift breaks the Senate's Conflict of Interest code as it was received in relation to his senate position. Additionally, gifts of over $500 must be published to a conflict of interest website within 30 days. Duffy's site hasn't been updated since September 27, 2012.For more details
May 16, 2013
Inconsistencies within Conservative Party invoices and the Deloitte audit suggest then-Conservative Senator Mike Duffy may have double dipped his charges and charged taxpayers for campaigning from April 27 to 29, 2011 for the Conservative party in eight writings in the General Toronto Area.For more details
Despite Prime Minister Stephen Harper's chief of staff Nigel Wright's choice to bail out disgraced then-Conservative Senator Mike Duffy, the Prime Minister's Office confirms Wright still has full confidence.
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As controversies grow and outrage continues, then-Conservative Senator Mike Duffy resigned the Conservative caucus and will remain sitting as an independent.
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CTV uncovers a reliable source which claims then-Conservative Senator Mike Duffy lobbied the CRTC to allow right-wing news channel Sun Media get "mandatory carriage" or at least be included with basic channels.
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RCMP sends letter to senate asking for documents pertaining to expense claims of then-Conservative senators Mike Duffy and Patrick Brazeau and then-Liberal senator Mac Harb.
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May 17, 2013
Then-Conservative Senator Pamela Wallin resigned the Conservative caucus and will remain sitting as an independent.CTV reveals Conservatives white-washed audit before publication to protect then-Conservative senator Mike Duffy.
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Independent Senator Mike Duffy will undergo a second audit due to contradictory findings of his expense claims on April 27, 28, 29, 2011 as senate "business" while being on the campaign trail in the Greater Toronto Area.
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Prime Minister's Office reaffirms "Mr. Wright is staying on" and defends his $90,172 gift.
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May 19, 2013
Prime Minister Stephen Harper's chief of staff Nigel Wright resigns.For more details
Ray Novak named new chief of staff.
May 20, 2013
NDP writes to RCMP commissioner Robert Paulson to launch probeFor more details
CTV learns Prime Minister Stephen Harper's former legal advisor Benjamin Perrin wrote the deal between former Chief of Staff Nigel Wright and former Conservative Senator Mike Duffy.
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May 21, 2013
Prime Minister Harper addresses Conservative caucus, dodges The Duffy Affair and tries to change the channel.For more details
Conservative Senators reject Liberal motion to send Duffy case to RCMP, opt to return to internal economy committee which whitewashed the initial audit.
For more details
May 22, 2013
Two prominent Conservative Senators in Senate's internal economy committee found to be responsible for whitewash of initial audit. Liberal leader Justin Trudeau hammers government in the House of Commons.For more details
May 23, 2013
Senate Speaker Noel Kinsella confirms the RCMP anti-corruption unit is looking into the expense claims of then-Conservative senators Patrick Brazeau and Mike Duffy and then-Liberal senator Mac Harb.For more details
Former Conservative Senator Mike Duffy wants to tell Canadians the "full story" and wants a "full and open inquiry."
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May 25, 2013
Ethics commissioner Mary Dawson is tells Canadians her probe will be limited as she readies a third look at former chief of staff Nigel Wright.For more details
May 26, 2013
Former RCMP Superintendent Gery Clement says there are "strong grounds" for criminal charges in the Duffy affair. How independent is the RCMP however?For more details
May 27, 2013
Prime Minister Stephen Harper is absent from Parliament Hill as his opponents await with many questions. Conservative MPs try to change the subject.For more details
Conservatives in the Ethics committee kill Liberal motion to “study the scandal facing the PMO and to offer the prime minister and Nigel Wright an opportunity to bring transparency to this issue.”
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May 28, 2013
NDP Leader Thomas Mulcair and Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau interrogate Prime Minister Stephen Harper in Question Period.For more details
Senate Internal Economy Committee sends Duffy case to RCMP
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May 29, 2013
Prime Minister Stephen Harper attacks opposition leaders amid questions on his own conduct.For more details
May 30, 2013
CBC reveals email exchange from 2009 which shows then-Conservative senator Mike Duffy asking for more perks for his role in the party.For more details
May 31, 2013
CBC reveals more email exchanges from 2009 which show then-Conservative senator Mike Duffy inquiring into financing and staffing options for his role in Conservative campaigns.For more details
June 3, 2013
Former Chief of Staff Nigel Wright chose former Harper Chief of Staff Guy Giorno to represent him at ethics probe.Government Senate leader Marjory LeBreton to ask auditor general to overview senate expenses.
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The RCMP announced it is looking into whether to launch a criminal investigation into the $90,172 transfer between former Chief of Staff Nigel Wright and then-Conservative senator Mike Duffy but added it will not make the decision public.
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In the Commons:
Liberal MP Bob Rae: “Mary Dawson is carrying out a private inquiry into the matter of Nigel Wright. The Senate ethics officer is carrying out a private inquiry in to the matter of Mike Duffy. Why not have one public inquiry to deal with the fact that Nigel Wright gave something to Mike Duffy?”
Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird: “It was this House that brought in legislation giving the tools to independent watchdogs for them to be able to consider these matters. What we’re simply doing is following Canadian law as passed by this House, as passed by this Parliament to look into these matters. This issue has been referred to at least two independent authorities, and the government will completely co-operate with these authorities.”
June 4, 2013
Senate Ethics Commissioner Lyse Richard pauses her investigation citing RCMP takeover of file.Senate introduces motion which asks to call in the auditor general.
June 6, 2013
A secret fund guarded by PMO for 7 years has raised questions over the Duffy affair and its intended purpose.For more details
June 11, 2013
Conservative Senator David Tkachuk to resign Chair of Internal Economy Committee citing cancer.For more details
Former Harper-aide Bruce Carson "surprised" Harper didn't know about Duffy-Wright deal.
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Former Chief Electoral Officer says Elections Canada has no authority to monitor secret PMO fund.
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June 20, 2013
RCMP broaden scope of investigation to include Independent senator Mac Harb and election records of 12 Conservative MPs.For more details
July 4, 2013
Conservative Senate Leader Marjory LeBreton resigns.For more details
Documents show the Conservative Party was intent on paying former-Conservative Senator Mike Duffy's illegal expenses.
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July 16, 2013
RCMP and PMO are at an impasse over crucial February 20 email. Will a search warrant be necessary?For more details
August 27, 2013
CTV News learns Nigel Wright wasn't alone in the Duffy deal, contrary to Harper's statements in the House of CommonsFor more details
October 6, 2013
Harper's former Press Secretary, appointed to the Senate in August 2007, Carolyn Stewart Olsen pledges to repay inappropriate senate expenses.For more details
October 14, 2013
A Mysterious binder kept by Former Chief of Staff Nigel Wright contains 4-year span of Duffy's life.For more details
RCMP: Duffy allegedly contracted close to $65,000 "for little to no apparent work."
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October 22, 2013
Duffy implicates Harper and many others in speech to senate.For more details
October 25, 2013
Duffy's allegations lead to a domino effect.For more details
October 28, 2013
Duffy claims there was at least a second cheque written by Conservative Party lawyer Arthur Hamilton.For more details
Harper contradicts himself again.
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