WATCH: Week three of the Mike Duffy trial began with testimony from the Duffy’s cousin, who apparently helped keep the senator up-to-date on the happenings in P.E.I. Mike Le Couteur reports.
OTTAWA – A member of Mike Duffy’s own family took the stand Monday as a Crown witness in the suspended senator’s fraud and breach of trust trial, after Duffy unexpectedly paid him $500 for sending newspaper clippings and photos from Prince Edward Island.
David McCabe, Duffy’s cousin, testified by video link from the RCMP detachment in Charlottetown that he was mailed a cheque in May 2010 from Maple Ridge Media, a company then-owned by Duffy’s friend Gerald Donohue.
McCabe, who had been scanning and emailing items of interest to Duffy since 2008, said he never asked for money and did not expect it.
Some of the content was political, but a lot of it was personal, McCabe said, such as photos of family gatherings or a newspaper shot of “Mike’s second cousin winning a chess tournament.”
READ MORE: Duffy worried about Internet ‘trolls’, court hears
When the $500 cheque arrived, McCabe said he didn’t know who it was from.
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“It was suggested to me by one of my sisters to call Mike and see if he knew who these people were,” McCabe testified.
“What did he say to you about the money?” Crown prosecutor Jason Neubauer asked.
“He said it was from all the scanning and articles that I emailed,” McCabe replied.
The Crown contends Duffy funnelled $65,000 worth of Senate contract money through Donohue, a friend he had known at CTV, for services that would not have been covered by the upper chamber.
Duffy is facing 31 charges including fraud, breach of trust, and one charge of bribery. He has pleaded not guilty.
Court has also heard from a makeup artist, personal trainer and office volunteer who were all paid with cheques from Donohue and his company, which later changed names to Ottawa ICF (insulated concrete forms).
Personal trainer Mike Croskery was paid more than $10,000 over three years for his services, which featured workouts with Duffy.
READ MORE: Duffy expensed $10,000 for personal trainer ‘consultant,’ court hears
Duffy’s lawyer billed it as consulting work on an unfinished project about aging Canadians.
Duffy also faces charges for billing taxpayers to attend personal funerals.
The Crown asked McCabe about Duffy attending the PEI visitation and funeral of McCabe’s sister, Mary, in February 2012.
“Can you recall whether or not your cousin Senator Duffy was present for the visitation or funeral?” Neubauer asked.
“Yes he was,” McCabe answered.
On cross-examination, Duffy’s lawyer, Donald Bayne, said McCabe had a proven track record of being a “pretty valuable resource” in the region, and called him reliable “eyes and ears” on political issues.
“You had reliably proven to be a good source for Senator Duffy about those issues,” Bayne said.
“I would agree with that,” McCabe said.
Bayne also noted that Duffy had paid his cousin, who also upholsters furniture, a personal cheque for his work on replacing the foam rubber cushions on Duffy’s loveseat and chesterfield.
“That was clearly a different type of service,” Bayne said.
McCabe added that he sent Duffy the clippings because, “I wanted Mike to be a bigger voice for the island.”
Court also heard Monday from another PEI witness, Peter McQuaid, who runs Eastern Consulting, a business Duffy used for three years in the Senate.
McQuaid testified he had two research contracts through the Senate in 2009 and 2011, which included speechwriting and research on specific topics such as equalization and the Atlantic Power Accord.
But in 2010, although he did broad work for Duffy, there was no contract.
McQuaid said Duffy told him that Senate budgets were “tight” and he’d find another way to pay.
“He couldn’t do it through the Senate but he’d find another way to do it,” McQuaid testified.
In April 2010, McQuaid was mailed a cheque for $2,887.50 from Maple Ridge Media, signed by Donohue, court heard.
In total, McQuaid was paid $8,400 over three years, documents show.
On cross-examination, Bayne asked McQuaid if Duffy defrauded the Senate.
“No he certainly didn’t,” McQuaid said.
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