Harper needs to tell Canadians the truth, and fire Ray Novak
August 19, 2015
Witness saw Nigel Wright tell Harper’s Chief about cheque scheme
OTTAWA – Stephen Harper must fire Ray Novak over stunning new revelations at the Mike Duffy trial, said Liberal candidate for Gatineau, Steve MacKinnon.
“Despite Stephen Harper’s repeated denials, new evidence suggests his most trusted advisor Ray Novak was aware of the Wright-Duffy cheque scheme,” said Mr. MacKinnon. “Mr. Harper’s credibility has been shredded. He should finally take responsibility by firing Ray Novak.”
Mr. MacKinnon listed the new evidence presented in court:
- A former PMO staffer told an RCMP investigator he witnessed Nigel Wright tell Novak about the Duffy cheque scheme.
- Nigel Wright admitted to the court he exchanged BlackBerry messages with Mr. Novak as recently as two weeks ago – a question that Justin Trudeau put directly to Mr. Harper in a letter on Sunday, yet Mr. Harper refused to answer.
- E-mails introduced as evidence show that Mr. Novak was included in no fewer than 151 e-mails, including one where Nigel Wright said that he “will send [his] cheque on Monday.”
“Harper and his chief spokesperson Kory Teneycke both told Canadians that Novak knew nothing. Harper even stood in the House of Commons and said so,” said Mr. MacKinnon. “Now a judge has heard evidence that directly contradicts both of them.”
“Teneycke even said last week that it would be ‘unfathomable’ that Novak knew about the cheque scheme and didn’t tell Stephen Harper. Given the evidence about Novak’s knowledge of the affair, then by Kory Teneycke’s own logic the Prime Minister must have known,” said Mr. MacKinnon.
In addition to immediately firing Novak, MacKinnon concluded by calling on the Conservative campaign to preserve all of Ray Novak’s relevant e-mails, PINs, and BlackBerry communications and immediately turn them over to the RCMP.
“Harper needs to finally end the cover up and come clean with Canadians,” concluded Mr. MacKinnon.