Harper sidesteps question about aide

Conservative leader refuses to say whether Novak still has his support

OTTAWA— Conservative Leader Stephen Harper is staying mum on the fate of Ray Novak after court testimony that his top aide had direct knowledge of the secret payment to cover Mike Duffy’s disputed expenses.

Pressed about the issue Wednesday during a campaign stop in London, Ont., Harper sidestepped questions from the media about what Novak knew and whether his long-time confidante still has the Conservative leader’s support.

“I’m certainly not going to comment on matters that are part of an ongoing court case,” Harper told reporters.

On Tuesday, Duffy’s trial, on charges of fraud and breach of trust, heard that Novak was in the room when Nigel Wright, Harper’s chief of staff at the time, first told the prime minister’s lawyer, Ben Perrin, that he intended to give the embattled senator $90,000 to repay the expenses.

That statement contradicts the Conservative party’s version of events: that Novak was not in the loop on Wright’s decision to personally pay Duffy’s expenses.

The latest revelation puts a spotlight on Novak, who was promoted to chief of staff after Wright was forced out when his payment to Duffy became public in 2013.

It also raises fresh questions about what Harper himself knew about the deal.

The Conservative leader has repeatedly said he had no knowledge that Wright himself had covered Duffy’s costs.

Asked directly Wednesday whether he knew about the secret payment and why Novak continues to have his trust, Harper took a pass, saying only that “all of the facts certify exactly what I’ve said until Wright was forced out.”

“I’m not going to discuss individual things before the court. There are two people, in my judgment, who are responsible. Mr. Duffy, who did not reimburse the taxpayers for expenses that I believe cannot be justified, and Mr. Wright, who, although he did reimburse the taxpayers, he did so without my authority and contrary to my wishes,” Harper said.

The Conservative leader refused to respond to direct questions whether Novak had his support and would remain involved in the election campaign.

“Once again, I am not going to cherry-pick facts that are in dispute before a court,” Harper said, to the applause of Tory supporters at the campaign event.

He repeated his assertion that Duffy and Wright alone are the ones responsible for the controversy.

“These are the people responsible. They’ve been held accountable. That’s my judgment in how this matter should be handled,” he said.

Both the Liberals and New Democrats are calling on Harper to fire Novak. On Wednesday, Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau urged the Conservative leader to “come clean” on the affair.

“The prime minister has to start telling the truth to Canadians,” Trudeau said during a campaign stop in Winnipeg.

“We need the prime minister to understand that this is very serious. It goes to the heart of the trust that Canadians have, not just in this prime minister, but in the office of the prime minister,” he said.

NDP Leader Thomas Mulcair also took aim Harper, saying that if Novak knew about the deal, the Conservative leader must also have known.

“One plus one equals two,” Mulcair said in Surrey, B.C. “Now we know that Mr. Novak knew so we can conclude that Mr. Harper also knew so I think it’s high time he started to tell the truth.”

Duffy has pleaded not guilty to 31 charges of fraud, breach of trust and bribery in connection with his Senate claims.