(Justin Tang/CP)
OTTAWA – Ontario Justice Charles Vaillancourt has resumed hearing the Crown’s case against Sen. Mike Duffy on 31 charges of fraud, breach of trust, and bribery.
The senator for Prince Edward Island has pleaded not guilty to the charges, arguing that he followed all the Senate’s expense and spending rules as they existed at the time.
After Crown prosecutors call a final set of witnesses over the next several days, Duffy is expected to take the stand once the defence begins presenting its case. The court has scheduled this portion of the trial to run until Dec. 18.
One of the final Crown witnesses will be Duffy’s friend and former colleague Gerald Donohue.
Duffy awarded him some Senate contracts for research and consulting services, and Donohue then paid others through family companies, including a private trainer and a makeup artist.
