Canadian Senate expenses scandal

The Canadian Senate expenses scandal is an ongoing political scandal concerning the expense claims of certain Canadian senators which began in late 2012. Senators Patrick Brazeau, Mike Duffy, Mac Harb, and Pamela Wallin claimed travel and living allowance expenses from the Senate for which they were not eligible. Deloitte LLP was retained to provide the Senate with an independent examination of the expense claims. Duffy, Harb, and Wallin repaid ineligible amounts. Harb retired a few months into the scandal, and in November 2013, Brazeau, Duffy, and Wallin were suspended from the Senate without pay. Brazeau, Duffy, and Harb were criminally charged. On April 21, 2016 Duffy was acquitted on all charges. Charges against Harb were withdrawn and no charges were to be laid against Wallin. The scandal attracted much public attention, with as many as 73% of Canadians following it closely.

As a result, the Auditor General of Canada examined expense claims made by all the other 116 senators and former senators over a two-year period. In a June 2015 report, the Auditor General identified thirty senators whose claims were inappropriate, and of these, recommended that nine cases be referred for police investigation. Fourteen of these senators opted for binding arbitration by former Supreme Court of Canada Justice Ian Binnie, and his report was issued on March 21, 2016.

The investigation of senator expenses began in November 2012 with the living expense claims of Patrick Brazeau and the travel expense claims of Pamela Wallin. By December 6, 2012, the Senate investigation was expanded to include the living expenses of Mac Harb On January 3, 2013, the Senate formally retained Deloitte LLP to review the claims of Brazeau, Harb and Wallin. In February 2013, the Deloitte retainer was expanded to include Mike Duffy's living expense claims.

In March 2013, and before the Deloitte audit was complete, Duffy repaid $90,172 for the living expenses he had claimed. It was later learned in May 2013 through the media that the source of this money was a personal cheque provided by Nigel Wright, who was then Chief of Staff in the Prime Minister's Office.

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