This is precisely the problem that the folks that think Mr. Harper and his legislative friends have done nothing wrong don't get...
Admittedly,it isn't a lot of money (certainly compared to the billions most could rhyme off that The Harper Government has blown through...) It's the fact that they tried to cover up some sleazy rule breaking by one (or a few) of their appointed sacred cows and have been caught in in the spinning of their deception...
It's not about the money at all!!!
If one believes what Duffy was says he was told by Mr. Harper,in that,it's NOT what he did BUT the perception of what he did...Then even Mr. Harper knows/knew this looks bad.And he must know that it goes right to the heart of the ethical standards he put upon himself and his party...
They are now being perceived as unethical,unscrupulous,and inauthentic...And the authenticity issue is the key with the voting populous.Frankly,just about everyone thinks that most politicians are unscrupulous and unethical,but you have to appear to be authentic...
In this case,Mr. Harper at least made a serious attempt at being ethical and this gave him authenticity,especially with his base but even with people not predisposed as being ideological conservatives.But little by little,and this is one is a large chip out of that seemingly impervious armour,he's lost his authenticity at being ethical...
Mr. Harper's supporters have tried to fluff off every ethical lapse as nothing to get worried about and these events have been overblown...Or,the media is out to get them/him...
But,now we have a body of work here and Mr. Harper (and his party) don't seem as ethical as they claim to be...And certainly not as authentic as he was perceived.
This one is almost 1 year old and it's getting worse for him and his party...It isn't going away,no matter how much the conservative base wants to wish it away or how much they want to downplay it...