Harper explanation of Duffy repayment plan differs from police Prime Minister Stephen Harper is continuing to disavow any knowledge of a plan for his Conservative Party to have paid Mike Duffy's expenses, an account that's at odds with police documents that suggest his chief of staff sought approval from Mr. Harper for the move. The police documents released Wednesday show that, on Feb. 22, Mr. Harper's chief of staff Nigel Wright was closing in on a deal that would see the party pay about $44,000 in housing claims and legal fees for Mr. Duffy, a senator first appointed by Mr. Harper. At the time, Mr. Duffy was fighting back against any pressure to repay, saying he didn't break the rules. Staff in Mr. Harper's office also told police it was clear the senator "had no means of paying back the money himself." Mr. Wright said in a Feb. 22 e-mail that he had "the go-ahead" on repayment, but that "I do want to speak to the PM before everything is considered final." An hour later, he wrote in an e-mail: "We are good to go from the PM." That appears to suggest that Mr. Harper gave the "good to go" order to use party money to repay Mr. Duffy's claims. But Mr. Harper denied that in the House of Commons on Wednesday, saying he was "good to go with Mr. Duffy repaying his own expenses." Mr. Harper stuck to the same statement on Thursday, while speaking at a funding announcement at Lac-Mégantic, Que. He was asked: "Mr. Harper, when did you know the Conservative Party was trying to pay the expenses of Mike Duffy?" The Prime Minister did not directly answer, but implied it was his understanding all along that Mr. Duffy would repay the money himself. I've said many times it was my view from the beginning, and it always has been - I said to Mr. Duffy right from the outset, that Mr. Duffy should repay his own expenses. I was told that that was what he had agreed to do. I was told that that is what he had done. When I learned that was not the case, I took the appropriate action. Mr. Wright, as you know, who made the secret payment to Mr. Duffy, has not been in my employment for six months. Mr. Duffy has been sanctioned severely, removed from the payroll of the Senate of Canada," he said. The party later balked at the plan when the final bill came in at more than $90,000. Mr. Wright ended up using his personal funds so Mr. Duffy could repay his expenses. Mr. Harper was also asked Thursday why Senator Irving Gerstein and Chris Woodcock, who documents suggest each knew of Mr. Wright's plan, haven't also been reprimanded. Mr. Gerstein wasn't suspended as Mr. Duffy was, and continues to sit with the Conservative caucus and also is chair of the party's Conservative Fund war-chest. Mr. Woodcock no longer works in the PMO, but serves as chief of staff to Mr. Harper's Natural Resources Minister, Joe Oliver. But Mr. Harper didn't address Mr. Gerstein or Mr. Woodcock, instead directing responsibility squarely at Mr. Wright and Mr. Duffy, who are each under criminal investigation by the RCMP. It's important to note that the inappropriate actions were undertaken here by Mr. Wright, at his own initiative, and obviously Mr. Duffy, who deliberately lied to the public about those things. It is Mr. Wright and Mr. Duffy who are under investigation, and who are being held responsible for their actions, and that is what is appropriate in this case," the Prime Minister said Thursday.