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September 9, 2015   ·   0 Comments

In your editorial, you quote the BNA Act (aka the Constitution Act) as stipulating in two separate sub-paragraphs that a senator must own $4,000 worth of property and must reside in the province (s)he represents. In other words, residency is independent of net worth.

In 1867 senators were the “upper crust” of society, as they had to be to own $4,000 in property.

They also met infrequently in Ottawa; so they were expected to shelter in an Ottawa hotel or boarding house. It made sense to subsidize a senator’s Ottawa expenses on that basis.

But Senate business has expended to become a full-time job, with the members spending most of their time in Ottawa. Expenses while on Senate business have expanded as well. I can accept that a senator candidate in PEI with the desirable political (i.e., Conservative) loyalty is rare.

These prerequisites combine to suggest that Mr Duffy’s appointment was legal but his exploitation of the expense rules borders on illegal.

So we have a court trial – not a trial by the media – to determine Mr Duffy’s guilt or innocence.

The Prime Minister, who is not on trial and is not a witness to the events associated with it, is acting properly in refusing to com- ment publicly, apart from declaring his limited knowledge of the event.

But government critics have created a non-legal political trial of the Prime Minister. I wish radio, television, newspapers and pundits would back off this case until the appointed judge decides guilt or innocence. for Senator Duffy. It is acceptable to report facts, but not acceptable for “news” media to try to direct public opinion with this case immediately before an election.

I wonder also why this trial is taking so long, what with unusual stand-downs at frequent intervals and extended examination of witnesses; is it to influence the federal election?

Charles Hooker
East Garafraxa


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