Advertisement

10 worst expense claims in AG Senate audit

10 worst expense claims in AG Senate audit

Auditor General Michael Ferguson’s report on Senate expenses highlighted a number of problems with the way spending is tracked by members of the Red Chamber. And while it’s unlikely many senators - if any - will end up on the same path into a courtroom as former colleague Mike Duffy, it’s clear that the P.E.I. senator wasn’t alone in maintaining less-than-perfect attention to regulations around expenses.

“A number of senators simply felt they didn’t have to account for, or they didn’t have to be transparent, with their spending,” Ferguson said in a press conference Tuesday afternoon.

Twenty-one cases have been referred to the Senate Internal Economy Committee, while 9 cases have been flagged for questionable housing claims — with some similarities to the cases of Mac Harb, Patrick Brazeau, Pamela Wallin and Mike Duffy — and have been referred to the RCMP for investigation.

Here are some of the more egregious claims:

Former Senate Speaker Noel Kinsella, who retired from his duties last year, expensed the travel for himself and his wife to Sault Ste. Marie to attend the funeral of his sister’s husband, to the tune of $5,663. Kinsella claimed that because the deceased was a leader in the Italian-Canadian community, a significant character to New Brunswick and had attended a number of Speeches from the Throne, that he had attended the funeral in his role as a senator and, according to the report, “that the decision to attend and speak at the funeral was not influenced by his personal relationship with the deceased.”

Senator Terry Mercer travelled to Toronto in December of 2011 to attend the 100th anniversary of a curling club. Senator Mercer had been a member of the club when he lived in Toronto and said the purpose of the trip was Senate-related business. The OAG disagreed. The cost of the trip totalled $3,452.

Senator Leo Housakos, now the acting Speaker after the recent death of former Senate Speaker Claude Nolin who had taken over after Kinsella left, was singled out for making expense claims for a Valentine’s ball in Montreal that he hosted in 2012. Apparently a member of Senator Housakos’ staff traveled to Montreal and back on a number of occasions to assist with preparations for the big do, which was expensed as part of his work as a senator at a total cost of $1,609. The OAG figured a Valentine’s Day party was this was outside the scope of the Housakos’ work in the Upper Chamber. The senator’s assistant has agreed to pay back the $1,609.

During the audit period Senator Lowell Murray, who represented Ontario and who is now retired, travelled to Nova Scotia six times, sometimes with his spouse and sometimes solo. But for all of these voyages, which totalled $15,324 over a two-year period, the senator did not provide reason as to why they would be considered Senate-related business. “He attributed this travel to an interest in the region he held throughout his political life, including during his time serving in the Senate,” the AG report states.

British Columbia Senator Nancy Greene Raine made two stopovers in Toronto during the audit period as part of her travel to Ottawa so that she could attend ski shows, to a total of $1,688. Senator Raine clued into the fact that she shouldn’t have made these expense claims in 2013 after reviewing her claims, and made a full repayment.

Senator Don Plett travelled to Montreal by plane, to “dine with a Senate colleague,” and then by train to Ottawa later that day. But according to his calendar, he had also attended a professional hockey game early on in the afternoon. The OAG didn’t receive enough documentation to fully explain the purpose of the trip and deemed the travel claims inappropriate.

Senator Vivienne Poy, who’s since resigned as a senator for Ontario, expensed a trip to Montreal — taxi fare, accommodations, etc. — to attend the opening of an art exhibit. The amount expensed is pennies — only $354 — compared to other slip ups she and other senators made, but Senate rules state that expenses to things like art exhibits are ineligible.

Senator David Tkachuk expensed a trip from Ottawa to Vancouver in November 2011 to attend the 50th wedding anniversary of another senator, with his spouse flying in on the same day from Saskatchewan to join the festivities. They stayed one night and then headed back to Saskatoon the next day, and expensed over $1,800 for the two of them for things like airfare, per diems, car rental, taxi and accommodation.

Senator Donald Oliver, now retired, was one of the senators whose case has been referred to the RCMP for investigation. Along with inappropriate housing claims, the OAG found that Oliver and his spouse had claimed travel expenses for things like a family member’s convocation in Kingston, golf with former senators in Montreal and a fishing trip.

Another three senators, of the nine who have been referred to the RCMP, are the worst offenders with the highest sum of claims the OAG deemed ineligible or questionable. Senator Rod Zimmer, who represented Manitoba and resigned in 2013 over health issues, has a $176,014 tab hanging over his head. Ontario’s Marie-Paule Charette-Poulin, who also resigned over health concerns, could be on the hook to repay $131,434. And $110,051 has been flagged for Rose-Marie Losier-Cool, a New Brunswick senator who retired back in 2012.