OTTAWA—Three senators improperly claimed living expenses for time spent in the Ottawa area, despite spending most of their time there, independent auditors found.
The Senate began its own internal inquiry into secondary residence expense claims following media reports late last year that some senators may have inappropriately billed taxpayers tens of thousands of dollars for their time spent in the Ottawa area.
The Senate standing committee on internal economy asked external auditors to review the living expense claims of three senators — Conservative Mike Duffy, Liberal Mac Harb and Patrick Brazeau, who has since been on a forced leave of absence while facing charges of assault and sexual assault.
The committee also referred the travel expenses of Conservative Senator Pamela Wallin to an independent auditor, but that review is not yet finished.
The audits found Harb, Duffy and Brazeau all spent most of their time away from their claimed primary residences during the period of review.
The auditors noted the definition of primary residence was fuzzy, but the committee said the rules around claiming secondary living expenses were sufficiently clear.
The committee recommended Harb and Brazeau both repay claimed secondary living expenses and mileage plus interest.
The committee found Duffy already reimbursed the amount improperly claimed.
Liberal Senate Leader James Cowan told reporters he was disappointed the committee did not recommend further disciplinary action.
Cowan said it is now up to the RCMP whether to investigate the matter.
The committee also recommended a number of changes to its travel and expense policies, including requesting that senators provide taxi receipts, maintain mileage logs and restrict per diems in the Ottawa area to days when the Senate is actually sitting, plus 20 more business days.
Senators are allowed to claim up to $22,000 in living expenses — including accommodation, meals and incidentals — per fiscal year when they are in Ottawa on parliamentary business, so long as their primary residence is more than 100 kilometres away.
Duffy claimed a cottage in Cavendish, P.E.I., as his primary residence despite spending most of his time at his home in Kanata, about 22 kilometres from Parliament Hill.
Duffy confirmed April 19 he had repaid more than $90,000 in secondary living expenses in March.
Harb, a former Ottawa city councilor and MP who owns several condominium units in the city, claimed a home in Westmeath, Ont., about 150 kilometres northwest of Ottawa, as his primary residence.
The riverside home is currently for sale.
Brazeau, who was expelled from the Conservative caucus in February after being arrested and charged with assault and sexual assault, claimed he lived primarily with his father in Maniwaki, Que.
The Gatineau home where he was arrested was the address listed on the charge sheet when he appeared in court the day after his February arrest.
The committee revealed the results of its own internal investigation in February, with a report recommending senators who claim secondary living expenses be required to provide a driver’s licence, provincial health card and the part of their income tax statement that includes the address every time they sign the declaration of primary residence for the purpose of claiming secondary living expenses.
At the time, Conservative Senator Marjory LeBreton, the government leader in the upper chamber, revealed Senate administration was doing its own internal audit of rules and regulations expected to produce even more reforms, as the expense review had revealed areas that needed clarification.
Meanwhile, the Senate committee is still waiting for the outside audit of the travel expenses of Wallin, whose travel to and from Saskatchewan, the province she represents in the Senate, pales in comparison to the amount she has billed for “other” travel elsewhere in Canada and overseas.
Wallin has said only direct flights between Ottawa and Saskatchewan are counted as regular travel, so if she flies to Saskatchewan from elsewhere, including Toronto, where she owns a condo, it distorts the numbers.
Original Article
Source: thestar.com
Author: Joanna Smith
The Senate began its own internal inquiry into secondary residence expense claims following media reports late last year that some senators may have inappropriately billed taxpayers tens of thousands of dollars for their time spent in the Ottawa area.
The Senate standing committee on internal economy asked external auditors to review the living expense claims of three senators — Conservative Mike Duffy, Liberal Mac Harb and Patrick Brazeau, who has since been on a forced leave of absence while facing charges of assault and sexual assault.
The committee also referred the travel expenses of Conservative Senator Pamela Wallin to an independent auditor, but that review is not yet finished.
The audits found Harb, Duffy and Brazeau all spent most of their time away from their claimed primary residences during the period of review.
The auditors noted the definition of primary residence was fuzzy, but the committee said the rules around claiming secondary living expenses were sufficiently clear.
The committee recommended Harb and Brazeau both repay claimed secondary living expenses and mileage plus interest.
The committee found Duffy already reimbursed the amount improperly claimed.
Liberal Senate Leader James Cowan told reporters he was disappointed the committee did not recommend further disciplinary action.
Cowan said it is now up to the RCMP whether to investigate the matter.
The committee also recommended a number of changes to its travel and expense policies, including requesting that senators provide taxi receipts, maintain mileage logs and restrict per diems in the Ottawa area to days when the Senate is actually sitting, plus 20 more business days.
Senators are allowed to claim up to $22,000 in living expenses — including accommodation, meals and incidentals — per fiscal year when they are in Ottawa on parliamentary business, so long as their primary residence is more than 100 kilometres away.
Duffy claimed a cottage in Cavendish, P.E.I., as his primary residence despite spending most of his time at his home in Kanata, about 22 kilometres from Parliament Hill.
Duffy confirmed April 19 he had repaid more than $90,000 in secondary living expenses in March.
Harb, a former Ottawa city councilor and MP who owns several condominium units in the city, claimed a home in Westmeath, Ont., about 150 kilometres northwest of Ottawa, as his primary residence.
The riverside home is currently for sale.
Brazeau, who was expelled from the Conservative caucus in February after being arrested and charged with assault and sexual assault, claimed he lived primarily with his father in Maniwaki, Que.
The Gatineau home where he was arrested was the address listed on the charge sheet when he appeared in court the day after his February arrest.
The committee revealed the results of its own internal investigation in February, with a report recommending senators who claim secondary living expenses be required to provide a driver’s licence, provincial health card and the part of their income tax statement that includes the address every time they sign the declaration of primary residence for the purpose of claiming secondary living expenses.
At the time, Conservative Senator Marjory LeBreton, the government leader in the upper chamber, revealed Senate administration was doing its own internal audit of rules and regulations expected to produce even more reforms, as the expense review had revealed areas that needed clarification.
Meanwhile, the Senate committee is still waiting for the outside audit of the travel expenses of Wallin, whose travel to and from Saskatchewan, the province she represents in the Senate, pales in comparison to the amount she has billed for “other” travel elsewhere in Canada and overseas.
Wallin has said only direct flights between Ottawa and Saskatchewan are counted as regular travel, so if she flies to Saskatchewan from elsewhere, including Toronto, where she owns a condo, it distorts the numbers.
Original Article
Source: thestar.com
Author: Joanna Smith
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