OTTAWA – An audit into Sen. Pamela Wallin’s travel expenses is not expected until fall at the earliest, sources tell Global News.
Earlier in the week, Conservative Sen. David Tkachuk, chair of the internal economy committee said “hopefully” the Senate will have Wallin’s audit by summer, but he can’t control how quickly auditors work.
Tkachuk told Global News the committee will be asking the Deloitte auditors to establish a timeline for Wallin’s audit “that would be more firm.”
“It’s not that we’re frustrated, but we were hoping it would be with us by the end of June. It doesn’t look that way so we’re just going to have a conversation,” he said.
Tkachuk said it’s likely taking longer to complete Wallin’s audit, because it spans the entire scope of her expenses. “It’s more far-reaching than just a narrow scope of a residential audit.” The auditors did one year, 2011-12, and were asked to do the previous year, he said.
A senior government source says the audit is not expected anytime soon.
When asked when her audit was coming, Wallin told Global News: “Wish I knew.”
An audit has already looked into the housing expenses of Sens. Patrick Brazeau, Mac Harb and Mike Duffy. With the help of a $90,000 cheque from former chief of staff Nigel Wright, Duffy paid off his expenses. Both Brazeau and Harb, who owe tens of thousands of dollars, are contesting theirs.
An audit is probing Wallin’s travel expenses, totalling more than an estimated $300,000.
The Senate is expected to vote on a Conservative government motion Thursday for the Auditor General to conduct an audit of all Senate expenses.
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