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Duffy: Stardom to Senate to Scandal
Mike Duffy made his name as a political reporter, and in the process became one of Prince Edward Island's most famous exports.
He cast himself as the ultimate insider, Parliament Hill's "man in the know." It made him a household name and one of the Canada s best-paid journalists. But Duffy wanted to get even closer and lobbied his way into the Canadian Senate, with dire results.
Veteran journalist Dan Leger tells the story of Duffy's rise to the top in Canadian media, his entanglement with the Harper Conservatives, and the scandal that made him one of the most controversial figures in contemporary politics.
Includes a foreword by CBC's Peter Mansbridge and a colour photo insert.
He cast himself as the ultimate insider, Parliament Hill's "man in the know." It made him a household name and one of the Canada s best-paid journalists. But Duffy wanted to get even closer and lobbied his way into the Canadian Senate, with dire results.
Veteran journalist Dan Leger tells the story of Duffy's rise to the top in Canadian media, his entanglement with the Harper Conservatives, and the scandal that made him one of the most controversial figures in contemporary politics.
Includes a foreword by CBC's Peter Mansbridge and a colour photo insert.
- GenresPoliticsNonfiction
232 pages, Hardcover
First published June 24, 2016
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
August 3, 2024
Interesting book with a lot of clear information, it has some nice insight into federal politics but does assume the reader has what I'd consider a somewhat above average base knowledge. It also would've benefitted by being released just a year or two later, after the 2015 election.
November 30, 2014
Respected journalist Dan Leger has put together a fair and comprehensive examination of the facts surrounding the recent expense scandal in the Canadian senate. My original thought was that a book like this would be premature, as Duffy has been charged but not yet gone to trial and is not expected to do so until April, May and June of 2015. So this story is far from over. But what this book gives us is a sense of Duffy himself, a glimpse of his early career as well as a complete collection of the facts and a timeline of the events. This information dribbled out in bits and pieces over weeks and months in the last 18 months, but it is helpful to see it all together, well organized and put in the proper sequence.
Duffy and Leger have known each other over a long period of time. At one point they worked together on Parliament Hill with Duffy taking a young Leger “under his wing” and explaining the way things worked in Ottawa. At that time, Leger was a junior wire service reporter and Duffy was a TV star. But the book begins many years before that, when Duffy leaves high school in his home town of Charlottetown Prince Edward Island, determined to make a career for himself in the media. In those early days radio was the big time, and Duffy began his career in radio, adapting quickly as TV soon became more prominent, especially for reporting the news.
In later years after a very successful stint at the CBC, Duffy moved on to CTV as the star of his own show. As he became more popular he was not always easy to work with and co-workers and producers complained about his behavior. But he ignored these complaints, concerned more about his role as a popular fixture on the Ottawa political scene. His reputation was not that of an investigative reporter, someone who would spend hours pouring over documents and searching library files. He was more a purveyor of insider talk, noting and passing on “who said what to whom”, continually engaged with those “in the know” and priding himself on being wherever the action was taking place. He always moved a story along in important circles adding his own touch as he passed on relevant information as well as any gossip he wanted to add. Politicians knew if they wanted to get something out before the public, Duffy was the person to get their message out there. He loved to be “out and about” and had a prodigious appetite for food and alcohol, habits which brought on several serious health problems which he tended to ignore. And despite being one of the highest paid journalists in Ottawa, Duffy over the years continued to yearn for even more money, power and influence.
At one point Duffy became such a partisan conservative reporter he lost much of his reputation as a journalist. His aim was a senate seat and he spent years cultivating relationships, and establishing the connections and ties he needed to accomplish this objective. Duffy had long let it be known that the senate seat was what he wanted, but it never happened until after the infamous 2008 campaign when Duffy used only portions of a taped interview on CTV with Stephan Dion that portrayed him in a very poor light. His handling of that tape lead to much public and journalistic criticism, but Duffy was unrepentant, so eager was he to catch Stephen Harper’s eye and solidify a commitment for that coveted senate seat. That famous interview is believed by many to have sunk whatever chance the Liberals had for a successful election and many feel it is even the reason Duffy finally achieved his wish and was appointed to the senate. Stephen Harper, anxious to consolidate his power in the upper house, appointed three new members who assumed their seats in 2009: Mike Duffy, Pamela Wallin and Patrick Brazeau.
There seemed to be trouble from the very beginning, when questions arose about Duffy’s appointment to represent Prince Edward Island rather than Ottawa which was where he had lived since 1970. But Duffy ignored the criticism and did for Harper’s conservatives what he did so well, entertain and help fill the party war chest. Harper was determined to keep the war chest topped up in the event of a sudden election and Duffy was just the personality to help him do that. Duffy proved a big draw at party events. People laughed at his jokes, asked for autographs and cheerfully signed checques for the party’s coffers.
As far as his other senate activities, Duffy had a good attendance record at debates and question period but was bored by committee work and missed over half the meetings. His main focus was his extracurricular activities, and he pretty much flew under the radar until questions were raised about senators’ expenses in 2012. It was then that Duffy along with others including Patrick Brazeau, Pamela Wallin and Mac Harb, came to the particular attention of the public.
Leger gives us important background to help us better understand the issues connected with the senate, its role in a parliamentary system, and how its activities are based on an honour system. He explains how the need for senate reform has been in the political spotlight for years, but no one seems ready to tackle the job as it has served many useful purposes for political parties. It provides a valuable way to reward party loyalty and a publically funded way for political parties to raise money for election expenses. But the Canadian public continue to question its use, grumbling about how appointments are made and continuing to be dismayed by the costs and the value received for the money that is spent. Many see the senate as a handy retirement vehicle, a gift given to those who have supported a party. And they are a considerable gift. These highly prized seats provide a steady paycheck (from a reliable employer who never went bankrupt) until the age of seventy-five, and after that, there is an excellent pension and benefits for life.
This is the story of hard ball politics, the lengths political parties will go to protect their interests, the cost of overreaching ambition, and the corrosive effect of entitlement. It is the story of the dramatic downfall of a man who was a star attraction as a political fund raiser but who quickly came to be a liability for his party and was left abandoned and criticized by his colleagues. It’s the age old story of a man who was seduced by power, influence and money, who pushed too far and lost his footing.
The book also provides a good explanation of how senators are not really responsible to anyone and provides some understanding of why those who now stand accused of fraud may never be punished for their misdeeds. But even if Duffy is somehow exonerated for the crimes of which he has been charged, he has lost his political career, one he spent most of his life nurturing and building.
This book serves as a useful backgrounder for the trial about to begin next year in the spring, and gives the author an excellent jumping off point for a second book as this story reaches its conclusion.
Well written, in a straight forward style and well worth the read.
Duffy and Leger have known each other over a long period of time. At one point they worked together on Parliament Hill with Duffy taking a young Leger “under his wing” and explaining the way things worked in Ottawa. At that time, Leger was a junior wire service reporter and Duffy was a TV star. But the book begins many years before that, when Duffy leaves high school in his home town of Charlottetown Prince Edward Island, determined to make a career for himself in the media. In those early days radio was the big time, and Duffy began his career in radio, adapting quickly as TV soon became more prominent, especially for reporting the news.
In later years after a very successful stint at the CBC, Duffy moved on to CTV as the star of his own show. As he became more popular he was not always easy to work with and co-workers and producers complained about his behavior. But he ignored these complaints, concerned more about his role as a popular fixture on the Ottawa political scene. His reputation was not that of an investigative reporter, someone who would spend hours pouring over documents and searching library files. He was more a purveyor of insider talk, noting and passing on “who said what to whom”, continually engaged with those “in the know” and priding himself on being wherever the action was taking place. He always moved a story along in important circles adding his own touch as he passed on relevant information as well as any gossip he wanted to add. Politicians knew if they wanted to get something out before the public, Duffy was the person to get their message out there. He loved to be “out and about” and had a prodigious appetite for food and alcohol, habits which brought on several serious health problems which he tended to ignore. And despite being one of the highest paid journalists in Ottawa, Duffy over the years continued to yearn for even more money, power and influence.
At one point Duffy became such a partisan conservative reporter he lost much of his reputation as a journalist. His aim was a senate seat and he spent years cultivating relationships, and establishing the connections and ties he needed to accomplish this objective. Duffy had long let it be known that the senate seat was what he wanted, but it never happened until after the infamous 2008 campaign when Duffy used only portions of a taped interview on CTV with Stephan Dion that portrayed him in a very poor light. His handling of that tape lead to much public and journalistic criticism, but Duffy was unrepentant, so eager was he to catch Stephen Harper’s eye and solidify a commitment for that coveted senate seat. That famous interview is believed by many to have sunk whatever chance the Liberals had for a successful election and many feel it is even the reason Duffy finally achieved his wish and was appointed to the senate. Stephen Harper, anxious to consolidate his power in the upper house, appointed three new members who assumed their seats in 2009: Mike Duffy, Pamela Wallin and Patrick Brazeau.
There seemed to be trouble from the very beginning, when questions arose about Duffy’s appointment to represent Prince Edward Island rather than Ottawa which was where he had lived since 1970. But Duffy ignored the criticism and did for Harper’s conservatives what he did so well, entertain and help fill the party war chest. Harper was determined to keep the war chest topped up in the event of a sudden election and Duffy was just the personality to help him do that. Duffy proved a big draw at party events. People laughed at his jokes, asked for autographs and cheerfully signed checques for the party’s coffers.
As far as his other senate activities, Duffy had a good attendance record at debates and question period but was bored by committee work and missed over half the meetings. His main focus was his extracurricular activities, and he pretty much flew under the radar until questions were raised about senators’ expenses in 2012. It was then that Duffy along with others including Patrick Brazeau, Pamela Wallin and Mac Harb, came to the particular attention of the public.
Leger gives us important background to help us better understand the issues connected with the senate, its role in a parliamentary system, and how its activities are based on an honour system. He explains how the need for senate reform has been in the political spotlight for years, but no one seems ready to tackle the job as it has served many useful purposes for political parties. It provides a valuable way to reward party loyalty and a publically funded way for political parties to raise money for election expenses. But the Canadian public continue to question its use, grumbling about how appointments are made and continuing to be dismayed by the costs and the value received for the money that is spent. Many see the senate as a handy retirement vehicle, a gift given to those who have supported a party. And they are a considerable gift. These highly prized seats provide a steady paycheck (from a reliable employer who never went bankrupt) until the age of seventy-five, and after that, there is an excellent pension and benefits for life.
This is the story of hard ball politics, the lengths political parties will go to protect their interests, the cost of overreaching ambition, and the corrosive effect of entitlement. It is the story of the dramatic downfall of a man who was a star attraction as a political fund raiser but who quickly came to be a liability for his party and was left abandoned and criticized by his colleagues. It’s the age old story of a man who was seduced by power, influence and money, who pushed too far and lost his footing.
The book also provides a good explanation of how senators are not really responsible to anyone and provides some understanding of why those who now stand accused of fraud may never be punished for their misdeeds. But even if Duffy is somehow exonerated for the crimes of which he has been charged, he has lost his political career, one he spent most of his life nurturing and building.
This book serves as a useful backgrounder for the trial about to begin next year in the spring, and gives the author an excellent jumping off point for a second book as this story reaches its conclusion.
Well written, in a straight forward style and well worth the read.
June 15, 2014
Duffy—Stardom to Senate to Scandal by Dan Leger recounts Senator Mike Duffy’s inexorable slide into disgrace and possible criminal charges in a clear and high readable manner. It sets out Duffy’s campaign to be appointed to the Senate and his unabashed cheerleading for Prime Minister Harper until the former television personality became a liability. On that basis alone, anyone interested in Canadian politics should read this book.
The book also succeeds in 221 detail packed pages in chronicling the events as they unfolded – the resignation of Nigel Wright, the prime minister’s chief aid along with Duffy’s challenges in proving he is a resident of Prince Edward Island and that he didn’t use public funds for political purposes. The information is conveyed in a way that lets the reader decide whether to believe Duffy’s professions of innocence or claims that he was operating on his own and not at the direction of the prime minister’s office. That’s how good journalism should be done.
A disclaimer. I worked for years with the author in the Canadian Press Bureau in Ottawa. He worked hard to get a story straight and not leave facts unchecked. Those traits show through in this book. Outside of my CP colleagues, Duffy was among the first reporters I met when I joined the Parliamentary Press Gallery in 1975. He was then with the CBC news bureau on Parliament Hill. In their own ways, both are likeable gents.
Covering politics attracts two types of reporters—those interested in the issues and those like Duffy for whom personalities are paramount. Duff was always digging for the inside story on the gossip of the day. He rarely showed much interest in the details of government programs or opposition calls for change. This too comes across in Leger’s book.
The book went to press in the fall of 2013 and also brought up details of the controversy surrounding Senators Pamela Wallin and Patrick Brazeau and former Senator Mac Harb. Earlier this year, the RCMP announced it would not lay charges against Wright for a $90,000 payment to Duffy--the book explains why that was likely to happen--and that the investigation of the four would continue. Brazeau already faces charges unrelated to his Senate activities. Leger also details the desultory fashion with which the Senate investigated the spending practices and residence claims of Duffy and Wallin, which have further damaged the Senate’s tattered reputation. The book also sets out the role of the unelected Senate in Canada and the problems that have plagued the so-called Chamber of Second Thought for decades.
The book was published by Nimbus Publishing Ltd. of Halifax.
January 21, 2015
A one star dark and depressing story related in a four star manner.
Mike Duffy’s own reference to senate appointments as “Taskless Thanks” went full circle for him. He rose to the top of Canadian Journalism, portraying himself as the ultimate insider but is now on the outside looking in at both the political and journalism arenas.
Described as useless as early as 1874 and not responsible to anyone whatever in 1886 by Sir Wilfred Laurier, the senate has never been admired by Canadians going back almost to Confederation. The stench of the Red Chamber not only clings to Duffy, but 2 other suspended senators and several former senate house leaders who have been part of the whole mess and caught with repeated untruths.
The author has laid out the entire saga from beginning to late 2013 and painted a very depressing albeit accurate picture of the political climate. Duffy never hesitated to use implied sodomy even in the Senate, saying “Do Honourable Senators know what happens when two politicians climb into bed together? One of them ends up on top!” Terms such as Mongolian pig fuck and rat fucking are used to depict the reality. Duffy is charged with faking being a neutral and unethical journalist by his peers. Where do we go from here?
Mike Duffy’s own reference to senate appointments as “Taskless Thanks” went full circle for him. He rose to the top of Canadian Journalism, portraying himself as the ultimate insider but is now on the outside looking in at both the political and journalism arenas.
Described as useless as early as 1874 and not responsible to anyone whatever in 1886 by Sir Wilfred Laurier, the senate has never been admired by Canadians going back almost to Confederation. The stench of the Red Chamber not only clings to Duffy, but 2 other suspended senators and several former senate house leaders who have been part of the whole mess and caught with repeated untruths.
The author has laid out the entire saga from beginning to late 2013 and painted a very depressing albeit accurate picture of the political climate. Duffy never hesitated to use implied sodomy even in the Senate, saying “Do Honourable Senators know what happens when two politicians climb into bed together? One of them ends up on top!” Terms such as Mongolian pig fuck and rat fucking are used to depict the reality. Duffy is charged with faking being a neutral and unethical journalist by his peers. Where do we go from here?
October 9, 2014
Was an interesting book. I read it because it was one of the books for bookclub - - otherwise I perhaps never would have read a book in the style of autobiography. This book was written very much in the 'fact-finding' style.....somehow there wasn't much flow to the 'story' - because it wasn't really one - it was one fact after another. It did make me realize though......that Duffy really could be played like a puppet - all one had to do was figure out what his goal was....dangle the carrot in front of his nose - and he played.......
March 17, 2014
More about the senate scandal in general than specifically about Mike Duffy but well written. I was one of those geeks who listened in to the Senate happenings while Duffy and his political friends were being talked about so this was a nice read to summarize. The story is not over yet as criminal charges still need to be filed (hopefully) and the political fall-out has yet to really register with the Conservative government. Next year's election should be very interesting!
January 31, 2015
Stephen Harper was elected PM of Canada promising accountability, transparency, and democratic reform of the Senate. Dan Leger's brief, accessible biography of Senator Mike Duffy paints a vivid picture of how poorly the Harper government has progressed toward those ends.
Leger writes well and with humour. Duffy comes across as an ambitious hustler, completely without scruples: sadly typical of many who have served in the Red Chamber.
Leger writes well and with humour. Duffy comes across as an ambitious hustler, completely without scruples: sadly typical of many who have served in the Red Chamber.
November 6, 2014
A good book about Mike Duffy's life leading to the senate scandal. I found it a very interesting book to read.
February 1, 2015
Entertaining political history of Canada re: the Senate chamber.
February 10, 2015
It's a good to know book. The last three chapters give lots of detailed information.
Read
July 6, 2017read for school
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews