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This suggests there is no smoking gun, at least not one tying Harper directly to the Wright-Duffy payment, and that he knows it. The most damaging elements – the alleged pressure tactics by Sen. Marjory LeBreton and current PMO chief of staff Ray Novak, the brutality of the manner in which these former insiders were made outsiders, the sheer ugliness of it all – may well be out there now. So in a sense it’s like taking a writedown, for a corporation: Push the three senators to the brink, let them tell their tales of betrayal, let the accursed media gallery have its delicious meal. It’s a bad few days. But who wins?

Beyond the bubble, a shooting war between Harper and three disgraced senators might be understood to help no one so much as Harper. Opposition statements or media coverage sympathetic to the senators’ plight – focusing, for example, on the arbitrariness of the move to cut them off, or the hypocrisy of shunning them for actions their own leadership apparently endorsed at the time – just further proves the “media elites” have it in for the Tories. It’s a classic wedge; possibly even a fundraising tool. Harper can now plant his flag on Main Street and blast the fat cats – people he himself appointed, but never mind that. It’ll play well at Tim’s.

Here’s why this unfolding scenario should be worrying, not just to Canadians, but to Conservative Canadians. It reinforces, not only that the prime minister doesn’t much care whether he’s trusted or liked, so long as he’s respected and feared; and is happy to trample on due process, if it suits him; but also that, truly, no colleague is safe who threatens his position. It’s not a new theme, because of prior incidents, including the purging of onetime cabinet minister Helena Guergis. But the trend line is steepening. Those closest to the Duffy mess, who are still standing – including LeBreton, Sen. David Tkachuk, and Sen. Carolyn Stewart-Olsen – might be well advised to watch their backs.

In the face of all this, the sheer dreck of it, Canadians are urged to remain placid, because we will soon have free trade with Europe, and the deficit is on track to being eliminated by 2015. Really? This is Canada, now? The gambit, if that is what it is, may succeed. Shame on us if it does.