If there’s millions for Omar Khadr, then open the chequebook for Mike Duffy!

If the Government of Canada settled with a one-time al-Qaida-linked terrorist convicted of killing an American soldier for $10.5-million, surely a patriotic Canadian senator who didn’t break the law is worth $7.8 million.

That’s the figure the Prince Edward Island senator, and legendary former journalist, is looking for in a lawsuit that he and his lawyer, Lawrence Greenspon, announced he’s filing.

“My civil action raises questions which go to the heart of our democracy,” said Duffy.

Duffy is right. His trial was nothing more than a political power play — used for the sole purpose of taking down Prime Minister Stephen Harper and his Conservative government.

Yet, the same tougher-in-large-numbers crowd, who got this whole case wrong from the beginning, were already scoffing and still treating Duffy as if he was guilty.

It has never mattered to people that the $90,000 in dispute was paid back — and not from the taxpayers. The agenda-driven crusaders kept pushing and when the RCMP laid 31 charges, the political opposition cheered with excitement, wrote books and made their jokes.

The joke is on them.

Every charge was tossed — something I can proudly say I predicted from the outset.

It was so obvious Duffy was a convenient scapegoat — smeared to oblivion before any due process.

Pathetic. The ferocious pack mentality got so ugly that people from all political parties have dirt on their hands.

The mistakes kept on piling up even after his spectacular acquittal.

“In his 308-page decision, Judge (Charles) Vaillancourt examined and dismissed every charge related to my residency, travel claims, and expenses, saying they ‘met the criteria for Senate business’ and ‘were appropriate,’” said Duffy.

He says he has tried to settle this but there’s no takers.

Another dropped ball. Now they are going to have to pay a lot more than the $275,000 of his salary that was held back while he was suspended.

“I don’t know about $8 million (7.8M), but they raked this guy over the coals and he deserves something,” said former Toronto councillor Doug Ford.

I agree with usually penny-pinching Doug. There is a sweet spot in the middle which should compensate Duffy for what he endured while at the same time protecting Canada in the future from people using something like this in their thirst for power.

What happened to the one-time Conservative senator, who is now an independent, was nothing more than an all out political witchhunt.

“My family and I have suffered stress and serious financial damage, as have the other Senators who were unfairly targeted, and their rights trampled,” said Duffy. “If this action succeeds in bringing Charter protections to all who work on Parliament Hill, this will be my greatest contribution to public life.”

We did wrong by this man. Pay up Canada. Or at least treat the Senate’s Duffy as well as we treated Khadr.

jwarmington@postmedia.com