Ottawa

Questions for the PMO

About Nigel Wright, Mike Duffy and what the PM has done

The questions about Nigel Wright, Mike Duffy and the Prime Minister’s Office that appear in this piece were first submitted late Monday night to the PMO. Here, for the record, is how the questions were phrased in my email.

1. What has the Prime Minister done over the last month to ascertain the details of the arrangement between Mr. Duffy and Mr. Wright?

2. Has a review of all records, documents and correspondence been conducted to determine whether the PMO is in possession of any documentation that might be relevant to the discussions between Mr. Duffy and Mr. Wright? If so, was any documentation discovered and will it be released publicly?

3. Have Mr. Wright’s emails been reviewed?

4. Has the Prime Minister or anyone on his behalf spoken with members of the staff of the PMO to determine what, if anything, anyone knew about the discussions between Mr. Wright and Mr. Duffy?

5. Will the government respond before the House rises to the two order paper questions filed by Mr. Trudeau in regards to documents relevant to the agreement between Mr. Duffy and Mr. Wright?

A spokeswoman for the Prime Minister responded as follows.

The Prime Minister has addressed these questions. We have nothing further to add to what he has already said.

This is what the Prime Minister said today at the presser (check against delivery):

“The RCMP has made its decision and it made it clear recently it is investigating this matter. Obviously, it is not appropriate for me to comment on a police investigation. I don’t know the substance of that. But, Mr. Wright has been very clear that he will answer questions from authorities and he will be held accountable for his actions. And, that is the appropriate course of events and this matter is between Mr. Wright and Mr. Duffy and the authorities.”

It’s not clear to me when the Prime Minister has addressed these questions—I’m not sure he’s actually been asked these specific questions. The question he was asked yesterday pertained to why he had not fired Nigel Wright immediately after learning of the cheque for Mr. Duffy.

My fifth question does seem to have been answered. The House adjourned last night without the government having provided answers to Mr. Trudeau’s two order paper questions.

Looking for more?

Get the Best of Maclean's sent straight to your inbox. Sign up for news, commentary and analysis.
  • By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy. You may unsubscribe at any time.