Political leaders on Prince Edward Island had mixed reactions to P.E.I. Senator Mike Duffy’s acquittal in Ottawa Thursday.
Premier Wade MacLauchlan was deliberate in his comments, carefully avoiding any personal opinion about the charges, the trial or the final verdict.
“I believe the judge has dealt with things that all Canadians will respect as a balanced and reasonable conclusion,” MacLauchlan said.
“Obviously the judge, Vaillancourt, has dealt with the question of residence, so I don’t think it would be for me to offer any comment on that.”
Duffy was officially reinstated as a senator in full standing with full salary and office resources by the Senate administration Thursday.
EXTRAS: Duffy timeline, who were the players, five things to know, the charges
Should Duffy resume his role as a senator for P.E.I., MacLauchlan says he expects he will likely end up speaking with the newly vindicated senator to discuss issues of importance to P.E.I.
It does not appear the P.E.I. premier will be in any rush to schedule a meeting with Duffy.
“I regularly interact with parliamentarians, the MPs and have with Senator Hubley and Senator Downe, and before that Senator Callbeck in her role,” MacLauchlan said.
“So should the occasion arise I’d be very happy to work with and to look for opportunities to encourage Senator Duffy in his role.”
In his decision, Justice Vaillancourt delivered a scathing indictment of the prime minister’s office and staff in their dealings with Duffy, calling their tactics “ruthless,” their actions “driven by deceit, manipulation and carried out in a clandestine manner.”
When asked for his thoughts on this harsh criticism of the former leadership within the Conservative party, P.E.I.’s interim Progressive Conservative Leader Jamie Fox quickly distanced himself from the federal party.
“It is not our party, that is the Conservative party of Canada, we are the Progressive Conservative party of P.E.I. Two total separate parties. They are not our party,” Fox said in an interview with The Guardian.
Fox did recently play host to interim Conservative Party Leader Rona Ambrose, hosting a party fundraiser with her at a local restaurant on Superbowl Sunday.
Fox noted he also attends fundraisers with Liberal MP Wayne Easter.
He says his sole focus is on Island residents, not on who may be representing the province in Ottawa.
“It doesn’t matter who our representatives are in Ottawa, as elected officials I think we have a duty to the province to work together for P.E.I.’s best interest, whether that be as a MLA and MP or a senator.”
NDP Leader Mike Redmond didn’t mince words in his assessment of the Duffy trial verdict.
“It just destroys all credibility of the Senate," said Redmond. "I think Islanders will feel like it doesn’t represent Islanders nor does it represent Canadians."
The Senate scandal and Duffy’s central role in it have been the focus of many news articles and analysis in P.E.I. over the last three years.
Islanders repeatedly told The Guardian through this time they felt Duffy should be fired or resign from his seat representing P.E.I. in the Senate, often out of concern over the province’s reputation among the rest of the country.
Redmond says he believes the judge’s decision Thursday does not change Islanders’ feelings about Duffy.
All it will do is bolster the call for the Senate to be abolished entirely, Redmond said.
“People know that there was wrongdoing and it went unpunished,” he said.
“Senators are not answerable to anybody. They’re unelected and unaccountable, and that’s the obvious point to make here and it is an institution that we’ve argued for decades simply has to go.”
A request to Duffy for an interview Thursday was left unanswered.
Political leaders on Prince Edward Island had mixed reactions to P.E.I. Senator Mike Duffy’s acquittal in Ottawa Thursday.
Premier Wade MacLauchlan was deliberate in his comments, carefully avoiding any personal opinion about the charges, the trial or the final verdict.
“I believe the judge has dealt with things that all Canadians will respect as a balanced and reasonable conclusion,” MacLauchlan said.
“Obviously the judge, Vaillancourt, has dealt with the question of residence, so I don’t think it would be for me to offer any comment on that.”
Duffy was officially reinstated as a senator in full standing with full salary and office resources by the Senate administration Thursday.
EXTRAS: Duffy timeline, who were the players, five things to know, the charges
Should Duffy resume his role as a senator for P.E.I., MacLauchlan says he expects he will likely end up speaking with the newly vindicated senator to discuss issues of importance to P.E.I.
It does not appear the P.E.I. premier will be in any rush to schedule a meeting with Duffy.
“I regularly interact with parliamentarians, the MPs and have with Senator Hubley and Senator Downe, and before that Senator Callbeck in her role,” MacLauchlan said.
“So should the occasion arise I’d be very happy to work with and to look for opportunities to encourage Senator Duffy in his role.”
In his decision, Justice Vaillancourt delivered a scathing indictment of the prime minister’s office and staff in their dealings with Duffy, calling their tactics “ruthless,” their actions “driven by deceit, manipulation and carried out in a clandestine manner.”
When asked for his thoughts on this harsh criticism of the former leadership within the Conservative party, P.E.I.’s interim Progressive Conservative Leader Jamie Fox quickly distanced himself from the federal party.
“It is not our party, that is the Conservative party of Canada, we are the Progressive Conservative party of P.E.I. Two total separate parties. They are not our party,” Fox said in an interview with The Guardian.
Fox did recently play host to interim Conservative Party Leader Rona Ambrose, hosting a party fundraiser with her at a local restaurant on Superbowl Sunday.
Fox noted he also attends fundraisers with Liberal MP Wayne Easter.
He says his sole focus is on Island residents, not on who may be representing the province in Ottawa.
“It doesn’t matter who our representatives are in Ottawa, as elected officials I think we have a duty to the province to work together for P.E.I.’s best interest, whether that be as a MLA and MP or a senator.”
NDP Leader Mike Redmond didn’t mince words in his assessment of the Duffy trial verdict.
“It just destroys all credibility of the Senate," said Redmond. "I think Islanders will feel like it doesn’t represent Islanders nor does it represent Canadians."
The Senate scandal and Duffy’s central role in it have been the focus of many news articles and analysis in P.E.I. over the last three years.
Islanders repeatedly told The Guardian through this time they felt Duffy should be fired or resign from his seat representing P.E.I. in the Senate, often out of concern over the province’s reputation among the rest of the country.
Redmond says he believes the judge’s decision Thursday does not change Islanders’ feelings about Duffy.
All it will do is bolster the call for the Senate to be abolished entirely, Redmond said.
“People know that there was wrongdoing and it went unpunished,” he said.
“Senators are not answerable to anybody. They’re unelected and unaccountable, and that’s the obvious point to make here and it is an institution that we’ve argued for decades simply has to go.”
A request to Duffy for an interview Thursday was left unanswered.
