Mike Duffy trial: Day 43

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Mike Duffy trial: Day 43

Live coverage of the trial of suspended senator Mike Duffy from CBC journalists inside and outside the courtroom.

3rd & 7 37yd

On the stand today: Benjamin Perrin. Mike Duffy trial: Day 43 #duffy live.cbc.ca/Event/Mike_Duf…

by Rosemary Barton via twitter 8/20/2015 11:30:33 AM
Testimony at #Duffy trial has Harper campaign on the defensive - @ChrisHallCBC cbc.ca/1.3196708 #cdnpoli #elxn42 #natnw

by JimAndersonOtt via twitter retweeted by chrishallcbc 8/20/2015 11:37:11 AM
#Duffy trial testimony has Harper campaign on the defensive, writes @ChrisHallCBC cbc.ca/1.3196708 #elxn42 http://pbs.twimg.com/media/CM2ZfKWWwAAR6iO.jpg

by CBC Politics via twitter 8/20/2015 11:52:05 AM
Mike #Duffy trial: 7 things we learned from Nigel Wright's testimony cbc.ca/1.3196685 http://pbs.twimg.com/media/CM2Z5BZWUAEQfK_.jpg

by CBC Politics via twitter 8/20/2015 12:30:17 PM
Just accidentally wiped my blackberry inbox - 4256 emails! Oops. Happy day 43 #duffy

by Angela Naus via twitter 8/20/2015 12:30:29 PM
It seems the PMO staff did what the senate internal economy should have done in the first place and since day one of Duffy's appointment. Make his taxpayer funded living expenses stop and ask for repayment. Clearly the summer cabin in PEI was never his principal residence. He did not incur additional cost to live in his real home in Ottawa. Duffy agreed to stop billing the taxpayer but said he would only pay back if someone else reimbursed him. Hence the bribery charge. All else about who knew what when is not particularly relevant to the charges.

by Paul 8/20/2015 12:35:18 PM
Harper held #duffy to account? He was suspended by Senate, investigated by RCMP and charged by Crown - so what's he saying really? #cdnpoli

by Sue Kelland-Dyer via twitter 8/20/2015 12:36:54 PM
A couple of comments as we await the start of today's session around 10 a.m., when the Crown will begin examination of Benjamin Perrin, Stephen Harper's former legal adviser and now a professor of law at UBC.

by Chris Carter 8/20/2015 12:38:36 PM
Former PMO lawyer Benjamin Perrin has arrived. #Duffy http://pbs.twimg.com/media/CM2xUtFWgAAwLyJ.jpg

by Laura Payton via twitter 8/20/2015 1:35:32 PM
That's Ben Perrin with the beard. First witness today #day43 #duffy http://pbs.twimg.com/media/CM2xlMiWEAAsKZS.jpg

by Angela Naus via twitter 8/20/2015 1:36:42 PM
Perrin is in witness stand. Seems relaxed. Chatty. #Duffy

by Rosemary Barton via twitter 8/20/2015 1:55:39 PM
Waiting for the judge. #Duffy

by Rosemary Barton via twitter 8/20/2015 1:57:54 PM
Judge is here. Perrin being sworn in. #Duffy

by Rosemary Barton via twitter 8/20/2015 2:01:38 PM
Crown Jason Neubauer doing the examination in chief. #Duffy

by Rosemary Barton via twitter 8/20/2015 2:03:24 PM
Perrin takes the witness box. He is going over his degrees. He got a master of law in 2007 and now teaches crim&intl crim law at UBC #Duffy

by Laura Payton via twitter 8/20/2015 2:03:30 PM
N now going through Perron's professional background. #Duffy

by Rosemary Barton via twitter 8/20/2015 2:04:01 PM
Perrin's worked for the immigration minister and in Sierra Leone and at int crim tribunal for former Yugoslavia. #Duffy

by Laura Payton via twitter 8/20/2015 2:04:08 PM
Oh and he clerked for Justice Marie Deschamps at the Supreme Court in 2007. No biggie. #Duffy

by Laura Payton via twitter 8/20/2015 2:05:00 PM
At PMO, Perrin was special adviser, legal affairs and policy. Lead on justice dept files, so all legislation. #Duffy

by Laura Payton via twitter 8/20/2015 2:05:59 PM
But Perrin says the govt has waived that privilege. #Duffy

by Laura Payton via twitter 8/20/2015 2:08:59 PM
Switching to ScribbleLive blog now to save my poor thumbs. Please follow along here live.cbc.ca/Event/Mike_Duf… #Duffy

by Laura Payton via twitter 8/20/2015 2:10:05 PM
Perrin says issues at play in this trial weren't issues he would have had any role in, so only became really aware in February, 2013. Questions raised about whether senators were constitutionally eligible based on residency and on expenses.

by Laura Payton 8/20/2015 2:11:34 PM
Wright first asked Perrin to do some research on Feb. 14, 2013. Looking at how income tax act applies to signed declaration of residence.

by Laura Payton 8/20/2015 2:13:42 PM
Perrin is reading aloud his response to Wright, sent Feb. 15, 2013. He suggested an extraordinary circumstance exemption if someone might be found to be a resident of Ontario in one year but was there for something like serious medical care, like, say chemotherapy.

by Laura Payton 8/20/2015 2:17:39 PM
Perrin describes the email traffic in his role at PMO as a firehose and explains it doesn't confine itself to 9 to 5 business hours.

by Laura Payton 8/20/2015 2:18:13 PM
If he was asked to provide a memo for the PM, he would get feedback on his written advice, then send it to then-chief of staff Nigel Wright, then-principal secretary Ray Novak, and somebody else, whose name I and all the surrounding journalists managed to miss.

by Laura Payton 8/20/2015 2:19:34 PM
The memo would then go to Harper. Perrin says there were several people authorized by Harper to instruct Perrin directly: Wright, Novak, the dep chief of staff, and director of policy.

by Laura Payton 8/20/2015 2:20:16 PM
Perrin says there's a process in the office known as briefing up, due to office hierarchy and flow of info. So a serious issue would go from him to a superior and then one or more of the superiors would share it with the PM. "So I don't have a direct line of communication with the prime minister," Perrin says.

by Laura Payton 8/20/2015 2:21:18 PM
Nigel Wright was at the top of the briefing up chain, Perrin says, but Novak and others were able to meet regularly with Harper through morning meetings and side meetings, plus communication with him through the day.

by Laura Payton 8/20/2015 2:21:55 PM
This morning meeting is the department heads meeting, including director of issues management Chris Woodcock. Everyone in the room with PM or by conference call if he was travelling.

by Laura Payton 8/20/2015 2:22:23 PM
Perrin says at the point where he was asked about income tax guidelines, he was immediately concerned because the income tax act has a very different purpose from the constitution act. Perrin says he was very clear with Wright that this is a constitution issue.

by Laura Payton 8/20/2015 2:23:47 PM
Ben Perrin on the stand. Overflow room back to mostly media. Public appears to be less interested than when wright testified. #duffy

by Angela Naus via twitter 8/20/2015 2:24:49 PM
Wright's email response to Perrin says he is gravely concerned Duffy and Patterson could be considered residents of Ontario under the income tax bulletin Perrin found. He was worried that could be applied as the Senate's view of residency and therefore disqualify some senators.

by Laura Payton 8/20/2015 2:25:38 PM
The next day, Feb. 16, Perrin sends a proposal to Wright, Chris Woodcock and Patrick Rogers. "subject co-operation by adjudicating committee members." Perrin said he found it's the Senate that determines who's qualified to sit in it.

by Laura Payton 8/20/2015 2:27:33 PM
Perrin set out a Supreme Court decision that spoke to regional representation as a key purpose for the qualification. He also found a text discussing the rationale for the residency requirement, which is to enable that person to represent that province.

by Laura Payton 8/20/2015 2:28:28 PM
Perrin talks like the lawyer he is... "prevailing constitutional document..." "relevant authorities..." I'm trying to translate into English.

by Laura Payton 8/20/2015 2:29:04 PM
Perrin says Wright kept the core concept of what he proposed and sent it to Patrick Rogers, who drafted a memo including procedural considerations.

by Laura Payton 8/20/2015 2:30:27 PM
P: I really only has a vague awareness that there were concerns being raised about CPC senators. #Duffy

by Rosemary Barton via twitter 8/20/2015 2:30:52 PM
N: who was your client. P: the govt of Canada. #Duffy

by Rosemary Barton via twitter 8/20/2015 2:30:53 PM
Perrin: lead policy advisor on matters related to justice. And citizenship and immigration. And public safety #Duffy

by Rosemary Barton via twitter 8/20/2015 2:30:54 PM
Perrin gives an extensive answer when asked about his professional background #duffy

by Rosemary Barton via twitter 8/20/2015 2:30:54 PM
P no direct line of communication to PM. but through those people. Saw through practice that others like Novak cud get things to pm. #Duffy

by Rosemary Barton via twitter 8/20/2015 2:30:55 PM
Perrin worked in PMO until 2013. Special advisor legal and policy. #Duffy

by Rosemary Barton via twitter 8/20/2015 2:30:55 PM
P Not until mid-Feb that I was first asked to deal with subject matter before the court. #Duffy

by Rosemary Barton via twitter 8/20/2015 2:30:55 PM
P: says the number of emails coming at PMO is like a firehose. Emails send all times of the day. #duffy

by Rosemary Barton via twitter 8/20/2015 2:30:56 PM