The Whole Truth and Nothing But the Truth

"I did not advise the prime minister of the means by which Senator Duffy's expenses were repaid, either before or after the fact.
"I came to Ottawa to do my part in providing good government for Canada, and that is all that I ever wanted and worked for in this role."
Nigel Wright, former Chief of Staff to Prime Minister Stephen Harper

That statement in and of itself represents without doubt, a whole truth. But this is a situation that goes beyond the simple explanation of what a talented and admired man had in view when he temporarily left the business world for a stint at high echelon public office. An event occurred, puzzling in its
execution and purpose, but leaving a distinct impression that something is rotten in the State of Prime Minister Harper's Canada.

At the very least, an appearance of something badly awry, even if the situation arose out of a simple act of greed snowballing into an avalanche of accusations unwarranted by reality. We won't know that until we are given information geared to aiding us to apprehend an entire picture of just what happened, and why it did as it did.

It certainly represented a challenge for the man, coming to Ottawa to act as adviser to the Prime Minister, one he was recognized as well equipped to execute with distinction. For over two years, past the mandate in time he had set for himself before returning to the high-powered business world of finance that he represented, he had the full trust and respect of the Prime Minister. Who relied upon his counsel and his expertise in that field. And certainly was not of a mind to dismiss him.

"The prime minister had full confidence in Mr. Wright, and Mr. Wright is staying on", affirmed Andrew MacDougall, speaking for Mr. Harper as his director of communications, when the news of Nigel Wright having courteously and without strings, charitably cut a cheque in a sum representing the full sum total of what Senator Duffy had extracted under false pretenses from the public purse.

That changed two days later, when the din surrounding the affair simply become more thunderous and demanding as voters became enraged at the implications of the story lasciviously reported by an exultant news media when Mr. MacDougall voiced a regretful turnabout: "Nigel is a very honourable man. Sometimes you realize the way it's got to be", commenting on the resignation of the former chief of staff.

It is a puzzle, however. How could a man as intelligent as Mr. Wright, one who had prior experience in politics when he served in the PMO under Brian Mulroney, not be aware that what he had undertaken to do would in effect represent a suborning of someone in one government agency against another. The Chamber of Sober Second Thought is in essence, the second, thoughtful arm of government, vetting what Parliament in its wisdom decides.

That Mr. Wright resigned was due, and it was proper. "He came to the decision that he probably wasn't going to be able to continue and do the kind of job he wanted to do. This is a guy who looked at the situation and thought he was a liability to the prime minister, the party. It was going to continue to haunt the PM if he stayed on", explained an unnamed Conservative source.

Very thoughtful after the fact. What inspired him to act as he did, in fact compromising his own position, his integrity, and certainly that of the Prime Minister? Does it mean he is far less intelligent and resourceful and reliable than his admirers describe him as being? That he was moved by Mr. Duffy's pathetic pleas of poverty and illness to respond so generously? Could he have had such respect for someone who so obviously deviously venal?

These, and far more questions are all deserving of answers that sound reasonably acceptable. While none have yet been forthcoming. The longer the wait for a reasonable response the more tarnished reputations become. There are simple enough solutions. Non-evasion of reality would represent a good start at restoration of trust.