One can sympathize, at least somewhat, with Mike Duffy's decision to sue Ottawa for $8-million.
A year and a half after being exonerated by an Ontario court justice on charges of fraud, breach of trust and accepting a bribe, it's easy to imagine the rancour festering inside him. There is no doubt, based on the evidence at his trial, that the Harper government set up Mr. Duffy to take a very public fall for a series of bad decisions stemming from his politically-motivated appointment as a senator from PEI.
But if Mr. Duffy now hopes to repair the "reputational damage" that his suit claims he still suffers, this isn't the way to do it.
Let's recall Mr. Duffy's part in his own downfall. Born and raised in PEI, he had not lived there for decades when, in 2008, Stephen Harper offered to make him a senator representing his home province. His actual residence for close to 40 years was in the Ottawa suburb of Kanata, and everyone knew it.
To his credit, Mr. Duffy questioned the legitimacy of his appointment, as the Constitution clearly states that a senator "shall be resident in the Province for which he is appointed."
Mr. Harper, along with leading Conservative senators, reassured him it would be fine, as long as he swore that he was a resident of PEI. He was also told that, in order to keep up appearances, he should put in for living expenses for his home in Kanata, lest failing to do so raised questions about his claim to reside outside the National Capital region.
All of this was sanctioned by the government of the day. It was not a crime. But it was still a blatant violation of the spirit of the rules of the Senate, and Mr. Duffy was an eager participant. Becoming a senator brought about no change to his day-to-day housing and living expenses, and yet he dinged taxpayers for tens of thousands of dollars as if it did.
Mr. Duffy is not a criminal, but that is not the bar that Canadians expect their public officials to clear. If he had doubts, as he says he did, he could have taken the high road and refused his appointment. Instead, he was a willing participant in Mr. Harper's game.
We agree that Mr. Duffy was put through "the public grinder," as his lawyer says, by the politicians he fell into bed with. But he has never shown remorse for his part in what happened, or taken responsibility for his choice of bedfellows.
And now he wants taxpayers to give him even more money?