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CALGARY — Senior Conservatives continued to stray from the prime minister’s political Senate script Friday — the very day Stephen Harper was to deliver a key speech designed to steer attention back to his party’s record.

Following the lead of Employment Minister Jason Kenney, Justice Minister Peter MacKay offered moral support to Nigel Wright, the former chief of staff depicted by Harper as the sole architect of the “deception” surrounding the repayment of Sen. Mike Duffy’s disallowed expenses.

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“I’ve known Nigel a long time, he’s a very principled individual, he’s somebody who is honest, he’s worked hard for our party in the past,” MacKay said.

“That’s my opinion, that’s my view of Nigel.”

Both Kenney and MacKay are viewed as potential contenders to succeed Harper in the future, and each have a loyal following within the party.

Ontario MP Gord Brown echoed the sentiment on Wright.

“I’ve known him for many, many years,” Brown said. “We’ve been in politics together since the ’80s, and he’s a man of high integrity and it’s disappointing that all of this has unfolded, but I stand behind Nigel.”