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The Canadian Senate expenses scandal is an ongoing political scandal concerning the expense claims of certain Canadian senators which began in late 2012. Senators Patrick Brazeau, Mike Duffy, Mac Harb, and Pamela Wallin claimed travel and living allowance expenses from the Senate for which they were not eligible. Deloitte LLP was retained to provide the Senate with an independent examination of the expense claims. Duffy, Harb, and Wallin repaid ineligible amounts. Harb retired a few months into the scandal, and in November 2013, Brazeau, Duffy, and Wallin were suspended from the Senate without pay. Brazeau, Duffy, and Harb were criminally charged. The scandal attracted much public attention, with as many as 73% of Canadians following it closely.〔Laura Payton. () "Senate scandal puts Harper's brand at risk, poll suggests". CBC News. 01 November 2013.〕 As a result, the Auditor General of Canada examined expense claims made by all the other 116 senators and former senators over a two-year period. In a June 2015 report, the Auditor General identified thirty senators whose claims were ineligible, and of these, recommended that nine cases be referred for police investigation.〔Report of the Auditor General of Canada to the Senate of Canada—Senators' Expenses, (http://www.oag-bvg.gc.ca/internet/docs/parl_otp_201506_e_40494.pdf). June 4, 2015.〕 ==Overview== The investigation of senator expenses began in November 2012 with the living expense claims of Patrick Brazeau 〔The Standing Committee on Internal Economy, Budgets and Administration, 23rd Report (http://www.parl.ca/Content/SEN/Committee/411/ciba/rep/rep23may13-e.htm) May 9, 2013. Retrieved August 25, 2015.〕 and the travel expense claims of Pamela Wallin.〔The Standing Committee on Internal Economy, Budgets and Administration, 27th Report (http://www.parl.ca/Content/SEN/Committee/411/ciba/rep/rep27aug13-e.htm) August 13, 2013. Retrieved August 25, 2015.〕 By December 6, 2012, the Senate investigation was expanded to include the living expenses of Mac Harb〔The Standing Committee on Internal Economy, Budgets and Administration, 24th Report (http://www.parl.ca/Content/SEN/Committee/411/ciba/rep/rep24may13-e.htm) May 9, 2013. Retrieved August 25, 2015.〕 On January 3, 2013, the Senate formally retained Deloitte LLP to review the claims of Brazeau, Harb and Wallin.〔〔〔 In February 2013, the Deloitte retainer was expanded to include Mike Duffy's living expense claims.〔The Standing Committee on Internal Economy, Budgets and Administration, 22nd Report (http://www.parl.ca/Content/SEN/Committee/411/ciba/rep/rep22may13-e.htm) May 9, 2013. Retrieved August 25, 2015.〕〔Global News, and The Canadian Press. ("Timeline: Key Dates in the Evolution of the Senate Expense-claim Controversy." ) ''Global News'', 18 June 2013. Web. 27 July 2013.〕 In March 2013, and before the Deloitte audit was complete, Duffy repaid $90,172 for the living expenses he had claimed.〔 〔Cheadle, Bruce. ("Duffy says he’s repaid housing expenses" ) ''Global News'', 19 April 2013. Web. 27 July 2013.〕 It was later learned in May 2013 through the media that the source of this money was a personal cheque provided by Nigel Wright, who was then Chief of Staff in the Prime Minister's Office.〔"Timeline: Canada's Senate scandal" (http://calgaryherald.com/news/politics/timeline-canada-senate-scandal) October 24, 2013. Retrieved August 26, 2015〕 On May 9, 2013, the Senate released reports about the expenses, along with Deloitte's reports. It acknowledged Deloitte's finding that the criteria for determining a senator's primary residence was lacking.〔〔〔 However, the intent and purpose of Senate policies for reimbursement of living expenses were "amply clear" and so Brazeau and Harb were ordered to repay living expenses.〔〔〔 As of July 25, 2013, Harb still maintained his innocence;〔Fife, Robert, and Phillip Ling. "RCMP Allege Senator Mac Harb Claimed Expenses on 'uninhabitable' Home." CTVNews. ''CTV News'', 25 July 2013. Web. 27 July 2013.〕 It emerged that the Conservative-dominated Senate committee had drafted the May 9 report on Duffy's living expenses to reflect less poorly on Duffy, who was at that time a member of the Conservative caucus.〔Ditchburn, Jennifer. ("Tory-dominated Senate Committee Deleted Tough Parts of Mike Duffy Expense Report: document." ) ''The National Post''. The National Post, 23 May 2013. Web. 27 July 2013.〕 After two weeks of controversy, and amid concerns that Duffy was claiming travel expenses from both the Senate and the Conservative Party, the Senate reopened Duffy's audit.〔Press, Jordan. ("Senate Committee Accused of Whitewashing Initial Report Decides to Reopen Mike Duffy’s Expense audit." ) The National Post. ''National Post'', 22 May 2013. Web. 27 July 2013.〕〔Radia, Andy. ("Mike Duffy May Now Be Investigated for Double-dipping amid Growing Anti-Senate Sentiment." ) Yahoo! News Canada. Yahoo, 17 May 2013. Web. 27 July 2013.〕 On May 29, 2013 the Senate issued a report amending the May 9 one, and recommending that Duffy's case be referred to "the proper authorities."〔The Standing Committee on Internal Economy, Budgets and Administration, 26th Report (http://www.parl.ca/Content/SEN/Committee/411/ciba/rep/rep26may13-e.htm) May 29, 2013. Retrieved August 25, 2015.〕 In the months following, many of Canada's political parties reiterated their positions that the Senate should be reformed or abolished. On February 1, 2013, the Harper government sought clarification from the Supreme Court of Canada on the federal government's legislative power to reform or abolish the Senate. On April 25, 2014 the court ruled that this could not be done through federal legislation, but rather required constitutional amendment. To reform the Senate, the consent of at least seven provinces, which collectively have half of Canada's population, is required. Abolishment requires the consent of all ten provinces.〔Reference re Senate Reform () 1 S.C.R. 704〕〔Payton, Laura. ("Tories to Refer Senate Reform Questions to Supreme Court." ) CBCnews. CBC/Radio Canada, 01 February 2013. Web. 27 July 2013.〕 The provinces' premiers, however, do not consider either a high priority.〔Benzie, Robert. ("Senate Scandals Should Not Influence Reform, Premiers Say." ) Thestar.com. The Star, 26 July 2013. Web. 27 July 2013.〕 The Quebec Court of Appeal has re-iterated the role of the provinces in any decision.〔http://www.vancouversun.com/news/Court+gives+thumbs+down+Harper+governments+Senate+reform/9078197/story.html 〕 A June 2013 poll revealed that in the wake of the controversy, 49% of Canadians wanted to reform the Senate, 41% wanted to see it abolished, 6% wanted to keep it as it was, and 4% were unsure.〔CBC News. ("Majority Wants Senate Changed or Abolished, Poll Suggests." ) CBCnews. CBC/Radio Canada, 20 June 2013. Web. 27 July 2013.〕 On May 12, 2013, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police announced they were reviewing the expense claims.〔 The RCMP had started their investigation in March 2013 when media reports were published regarding Deloitte's external review of the expenses of Brazeau, Duffy and Harb.〔James Cudmore, "Senate expenses: Patrick Brazeau, Mac Harb charged by RCMP" CBC News (http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/senate-expenses-patrick-brazeau-mac-harb-charged-by-rcmp-1.2522431) February 4, 2014. Retrieved July 17, 2015〕〔Information to Obtain Production Orders (http://www.macleans.ca/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/1.Mike-Duffy.Nigel-Wright-Nov-15.13.pdf) November 15, 2013. Retrieved July 17, 2015〕〔Information to Obtain a Production Order and Sealing Order (https://doc-14-a0-apps-viewer.googleusercontent.com/viewer/secure/pdf/3nb9bdfcv3e2h2k1cmg10ee9c) June 24, 2013. Retrieved July 2015〕〔Information to Obtain a Production Order (http://www.ctvnews.ca/polopoly_fs/1.1384199!/httpFile/file.pdf) July 25, 2013. Retrieved July 17, 2015〕 On August 14, 2013, it was announced that the Auditor General of Canada would be reviewing the expense claims of all Senators. In June 2015, the report was released by Auditor General Michael Ferguson and nine Senators including incumbent senators Pierre-Hughes Boisvenue and Colin Kenny were been subject of an RCMP investigation while 21 other Senators were flagged for filling inappropriate expense claims including Senate Speaker Leo Housakos, Senate Government Leader Claude Carignan and Opposition Leader James Cowan. The Report indicated that nearly $1 million worth of inappropriate expenses were filed by the 30 Senators. 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Canadian Senate expenses scandal」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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