Canadian Senate expenses scandal

The Canadian Senate expenses scandal was a controversy concerning the unrelated expense claims of several Canadian senators which began in late 2012 and ended in 2016. Senators Patrick Brazeau, Mike Duffy, Mac Harb, and Pamela Wallin claimed travel and living allowance expenses from the Senate. After an audit conducted by Deloitte LLP, Duffy -- whose expenses were later found by a Superior Court of Ontario judge to be legitimate -- Harb, and Wallin repaid some expenses. Harb retired a few months later. In November 2013, Brazeau, Duffy, and Wallin were suspended from the Senate without pay but were eventually reinstated. Duffy, the only senator to face criminal charges, was acquitted.[1] Charges against Harb were withdrawn and no charges were laid against Wallin.[2]

The Auditor General of Canada examined expense claims made by 116 senators and former senators over a two-year period. In a June 2015 report, the Auditor General alleged thirty senators' claims were inappropriate. The report recommended nine cases be referred for police investigation. No charges were laid in those cases. [3] Fourteen of these senators opted for binding arbitration by former Supreme Court of Canada Justice Ian Binnie, and his report was issued on March 21, 2016.[4]