Politic?

This is a blog dedicated to a personal interpretation of political news of the day. I attempt to be as knowledgeable as possible before commenting and committing my thoughts to a day's communication.

Monday, February 04, 2013

Honourable Members of the Red Chamber

Not illegal, not yet. Unethical it most certainly is, unblushingly so. It was reported months ago that Senators Mike Duffy, Mac Harb and Patrick Brazeau were claiming their principal residences other than in Ottawa, so that what in effect really are their principal residences are being claimed by them for living expenses in the tens of thousands of dollars.

They have found it convenient to state that property owned by them elsewhere than in Ottawa represents their principal residences; their homes in Ottawa they claim to be other than primary residences.

This despite having lived in Ottawa for decades in the cases of Senators Duffy and Harb. For convenience's sake in claiming benefits that accrue to those who live further than 100 kilometres from the capital, Senator Duffy lists his Kanata home, in his ownership since 2003, as his secondary residence.

He insists that a home he bought fifteen years ago and upgraded on Prince Edward Island is his true primary place of residence. Which has enabled him to collect over $33,000 in living expenses over the course of several years.

Senate residency and expenses rules permit senators to charge for hotels, rent, mortgages or other costs related to living in the capital if they maintain their primary residence within the province that they represent in the Senate. And Senator Duffy, a former newsman, selected for the Senate in 2009, is adamant that his home in Cavendish is his primary residence.

A spanner was thrown into the works when a newspaper investigative story was published months back introducing the public to the this latest scam by public officials. There was an outcry and the Senate Standing Committee on Internal Economy promised to look into the affair. They have since  arranged that all senators received an auditor's letter requesting that residency claims be supported by copies of health cards, driver's licences and relevant pages of tax returns.

Which prompted Senator Duffy to have his office get in touch with Prince Edward Island's ministry of health for the expedition of an application for a provincial health card. The Senate committee expected to be in possession of all Senators' supporting documents by January 31. PEI's health ministry indicated no application could be fast-tracked; all new applicants must wait out a 3-month period before receipt of health cards.

Had it been merely a replacement card that Senator Duffy wished to receive, that would have been issued in ten days. As well as the health cards and related documents the committee wished Senators to provide evidence of where they vote in federal, provincial and municipal elections, as support of primary residency claims. Elections Canada records give Senator Duffy's voting eligibility as the Kanata area riding where he lives.

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