Prime Minister Harper says he’s “frustrated” and “sorry” about Senate scandal

He did it on another continent, but he finally did it.

While on an official visit to Peru, Prime Minister Stephen Harper took questions from reporters about the Senate expense scandal that has dominated headlines and plagued his government for the past several days.

According to the news reports, Harper said that he was "sorry" that his chief of staff personally funded Duffy’s repayment of more than $90,000 in improperly-claimed living expenses.

"I learned of this after stories appeared in the media last week speculating on the source of Mr. Duffy's repayments," Harper said, according to the Canadian Press.

"Immediately upon learning that the source was indeed my chief of staff, Nigel Wright, I immediately asked that that information be released publicly. That is what I knew.

"I was not consulted, I was not asked to sign off on any such thing Had I obviously been consulted, more importantly I would not have agreed, and it is obviously for those reasons that I accepted Mr. Wright's resignation."

[ Related: Mike Duffy remains defiant while pressure to quit the Senate mounts ]

And, while he seemed remorseful, the prime minister made sure to distance himself and the rest of his office from the scandal.

"I'm frustrated, sorry and angry about all of this," he said according to Postmedia News indicating that he has implemented measures to ensure something like this doesn't happen again.

"It was Mr. Wright's money. It was his own money.

"He is solely responsible."

The press conference, was the first time Harper had taken questions from reporters about the controversy since it came to light last week. His openness was a contrast from his public speech to caucus, on Tuesday, where he didn't address Wright by name and he didn't say what he knew and when.

[ Related: Conservative Party’s response to Senate scandal is not good enough ]

Meanwhile, back in Ottawa, Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird was left to field a barrage of questions, about the Senate scandals, during Question Period.

With some strong questions from both NDP leader Thomas Mulcair and Liberal leader Justin Trudeau, Baird seemed flustered at times.

"Don't remember [John] Baird ever at loss for words in QP," veteran political reporter Chantal Hébert tweeted.

"Today over Duffy/Wright, he is. Bet no [Conservative] wants his role today. Not even the PM!"

Other QP observers were keeping eye on Baird's Tory colleagues.

"CPC body language behind Baird speaks volumes in QP today," the Toronto Star's Tim Harper said in a tweet.

You have to wonder how some of those MPs feel about the prime minister being in Peru while they're taking the heat in Question Period.

(Photo courtesy of the Canadian Press)

Are you a politics junkie?
Follow @politicalpoints on Twitter!