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Stephen Harper addresses his caucus about Senate scandals: “I’m not happy”

Stephen Harper has made what was probably one of the most important speeches during his tenure as prime minister.

On Tuesday morning, Harper addressed his caucus amid the ongoing Senate expense scandal that has dominated headlines and social media over the past week.

"I don't think any of you are going to be very surprised to hear that I'm not happy," he said.

"I'm very upset about some conduct we witnessed, the conduct of some Parliamentarians and the conduct of my own office."

[ Related: Why Stephen Harper should be held accountable for Senate scandals]

Harper spent a lot of time touting his government's actions in strengthening accountability rules since coming into office in 2006. He had this message for his MPs and Senators in the audience.

"As I said in the room across the hall in the Fall of 2005, when we first pledged to bring in the federal accountability act...no government will be perfect because none of us are perfect,'" he said.

"Let me repeat something else I said in that same speech in 2005. Anyone who wants to use public office for their own benefit should make other plans or better yet, leave this room."

He also defended his Senate appointments and talked about the need for Senate reform.

"As Canadians know, I did not get into politics to defend the Senate," the prime minister said to laughter.

"It was this party that put Senate reform on the national agenda.

"We placed before Parliament a bill, opposed by both the Liberals and the NDP, to allow for Senate elections and to put term limits on senators. The Status quo is not acceptable. Canadians want the Senate to change."

He closed his 10 minute speech by reminding the caucus that the most important issue facing Canadians is the economy.

[ Related: Nigel Wright, PM's top aide resigns: Is the government in crisis? ]

The Senate controversy was reignited last week, when the Prime Minister's Office admitted that Harper's Chief of Staff Nigel Wright personally funded Senator Mike Duffy’s repayment of more than $90,000 in improperly-claimed living expenses.

On Thursday, Duffy resigned from the Tory caucus over the scandal. On Friday Senator Pamela Wallin — who is still being audited for her travel expense claims — followed suit.

And on Sunday, Wright resigned from the PMO.

Federal ethics commissioner Mary Dawson is investigating Wright's gift to Duffy while the NDP have asked the RCMP to investigate.

To the chagrin of the media in attendance, Harper did not take questions and did not explicitly mention Wright, Duffy or the $90,000 transfer.

Before the meeting, some in the caucus did.

According to the Canadian Press, James Moore suggested that Duffy should resign from the Senate.

"I think Canadians expect members of Parliament and senators to respect taxpayers' dollars," the Minister of Canadian Heritage told reporters.

"Anybody who is not here respecting that commitment to Canadians, they should get out, they should leave."

[ Pulse of Canada: Should Mike Duffy quit the Senate? ]

On Tuesday afternoon Harper will depart for a four-day trip to South America leaving his caucus to fend for themselves during Question Period.

(Photo courtesy of the Canadian Press)

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