Braley retires from senate

(Update)
Hamilton’s only Senator is now an “ex” senator. David Braley stepped down from his post on Saturday but gave no official reason in his resignation letter as to why.

The 72 year old Senator was appointed in 2010 and could have stayed in the Senate for another three years. The move has many wondering whether the current Senate scandals had anything to do with Braley’s sudden departure.

The answer seems to depend on who you ask. Braley was quoted in the Hamilton Community News as saying that the actions of Senators Mike Duffy, Patrick Brazeau and Pamela Wallin, as well as of former Liberal senator Mac Harb, had made him rethink his place in the Senate. And, that his wife had asked him to consider early retirement.

Tuesday, Braley said that report was false, and that he wanted to spend more time with his wife, and family, while he was still healthy.
When asked directly whether the continuing Senate scandal had a bearing on that decision, Braley told CHCH news “not on the final decision but it’s not the most pleasant atmosphere right now.”

And there’s no sign that the poisoned atmosphere in Ottawa is about to change at any time soon. Opposition parties launched a new assault on Stephen Harper following the revelation that hundreds of emails that the Tories had said were accidentally deleted had in fact re-appeared, and are now in the hands of the RCMP. The emails were to and from Benjamin Perrin, the former legal counsel in the Prime Minister’s Office. Perrin has denied any involvement in the alleged coverup between Senator Mike Duffy and Stephen Harper’s former chief of staff Nigel Wright. But the emails show he was deeply involved in a deal with Duffy’s lawyer.

Ralph Goodale is a Liberal MP: “How could it take six months and three specific demands from the mounties before they coughed up the evidence?”

James Moore is the Industry Minister: “again, I don’t know where the honourable member from Wascana has been since Sunday night but the Privy Council office has spoken very clearly to the status of those emails and those emails are now in the hands of the RCMP so that they can continue their independent investigation.”

Of course there was much more along the same line during Question Period but suffice to say that the Government is sticking to its official line that Prime Minister Stephen Harper knew nothing about a secret deal to pay back the wrongful expense claims of Senator Mike Duffy. And also that the Prime Minister’s office has been completely transparent and accountable with both the RCMP, and the people of Canada.

Photo: Senate of Canada