Disgraced senator and former television personality and diplomat Pamela Wallin has been ordered to pay almost $140,000 for claiming travel expenses she was not entitled to.
Prime Minister Stephen Harper, who appointed Ms. Wallin to the Senate in 2009, moved quickly to distance himself from her. Earlier this year, Mr. Harper defended Ms. Wallin’s travel claims. He now says he “would expect that action will be taken to ensure full accountability for any breaking of rules.”
Two other senators Mr. Harper appointed, Mike Duffy and Patrick Brazeau (as well as Liberal Mac Harb), are also being investigated for claiming false expenses, and the appointments could become a crucial issue in a general election, though one is not due until 2015.
Ms. Wallin, once a fixture on both the CBC and CTV, served as Canada’s consul-general in New York from 2002 to 2006. She was appointed to that post by then prime minister, Jean Chretien.
An independent audit of her travel expenses released last week showed Ms. Wallin owed $121,348. The auditors advised another $21,000 in questionable claims should be reviewed by the Senate’s internal economy committee. The committee said Wednesday that Ms. Wallin should pay back most of that money, $17,622. In total, she must pay $138,970.
Ms. Wallin, who had already repaid the Senate $38,369 in travel claims, has criticized the audit process as “fundamentally flawed and unfair.” She resigned from the Tory caucus earlier this year but continues to sit as a senator.
Ms. Wallin’s audit came after similar audits into the expenses of Mr. Duffy, Mr. Brazeau and Mr. Harb. All four cases have been referred to the Royal Canadian Mounted Police.
Canada’s auditor-general is beginning an audit of the expenses of all 100 senators, expected to take about 18 months.
Canada’s senators are not elected. They are appointed by the prime minister.
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