Harper points to Mulcair's legal fees paid by party

After daysof being on the defensive over an alleged coverup to repay Mike Duffy's ineligible expenses, Prime Minister Stephen Harper found something to pin on the leader of the Opposition during question period on Wednesday.

Mulcair asked Harper, for a second day in a row, aboutthe second cheque that SenatorDuffy said was given to him by Nigel Wright, Harper's former chief of staff, to help him pay his legal fees.

Duffy told the Senate on Monday that Wrightarranged to have $13,560 in legal fees paid by the Conservative Party in addition to the $90,000 cheque Harper's thenchief of staff gave Duffy to repay his ineligible expenses.

Harper repeated what he had told the Commons on Monday,that it is common practice for theparty to assist members in good standing "from time to time."

The prime minister then took direct aim at Mulcair and asked the NDPleader about "his party" repaying his legal expenses to the tune of $100,000 in a libel case.

"How many members of the NDP are aware that this party leader not only claims expenses for court cases he loses, but also expects his political party to actually pay for him the damages imposed by a court of law?" Harper asked.

Mulcairnever gave Harper the satisfaction of a replydespite numerous attempts by theprime minister to draw an answer from him.

In 2005, a court ordered Mulcair, who was an elected official sitting in the national assembly for the Quebec Liberal Party at the time, to pay $95,000 in damages toYves Duhaime.

Duhaime, a former Bloc Qubcois MP, was working as a lobbyist when he sued Mulcair for defamation in 2002.

The Liberal Party of Quebec paid for thedamages as well as Mulcair'slegal costs.

Conservative Party lawyer Arthur Hamilton, who wrote the$13,560 cheque to cover Duffy's legal fees, also assisted MP Dean Del Mastro while he was in caucus.

Conservative MP PeterGoldring, however,told CBC News on Wednesdayhe paid his own "very expensive"legal bills while facing a criminal charge.

Senate amendment under consideration

Mulcair, during a scrum with reporters after question period, dismissed Harper's attack as "something that happened almost 15 years ago with another party,in another parliament."

"It shows the desperation of the Conservatives now. They'reon the eve of their big weekend in Calgary, they are looking for anything," the NDPleader said.

Conservatives had hopedthe Senate would have voted on the motion to suspend senators PatrickBrazeau, Mike Duffy and PamelaWallinwithout pay before the start of the party's annual convention in Calgary Thursday.

However, theSenate is still in the process of considering an amendment that would see the senatorskeep their medical benefits if they are suspended without pay.

Mulcair told CBC News Network'sPower & Politicson Wednesday that he would prefer to see the Senate abolished altogether, but suspending the three embattled senators that Harper appointed withoutpay is "a good start."

Conservatives who emerged from caucus on Wednesday said it was the Liberals who werestalling the motion to suspend the three senators without pay, butLiberal deputy leader RalphGoodalesaid it was the fault of the Conservatives.

"That is 100 per cent the responsibility of the Conservative leader in the Senate and the people in the Prime Minister's Office that are pulling their strings," Goodale said.

Earlier in the day, Goodale told reporters his party wanted to know, if the legal fees were paid out to Duffy under false pretense would the Conservatives try to recoup the $13,560?

"Are they going to launch proceedings to recover the legal costs from the law firm working for Mr. Duffy?" asked Goodale.

During question period, Harper only answered questions that came directly from Mulcair. He hadhis parliamentary secretary Paul Calandra answer questions from opposition MPs, including Goodale, who took the lead for the Liberals.

Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau was not in question period on Wednesday, but in Alberta,where he gave a speech to the Calgary Petroleum Club earlier in the day.