OTTAWA – Sen. Pamela Wallin once said, “I travelled to my home whenever I can, which last year was 168 days.”
But which home was she talking about?
She claims to live in Wadena, Sask. But while sitting on the board of director for wealth management firm Gluskin Sheff and Associates, Wallin listed her primary residence as Toronto.
That has opposition parties questioning her legitimacy as a senator.
“I think the consequences (are) that you shouldn’t have never been eligible to have been named and then there should be some – either some repayments or some penalties put in place,” said Liberal MP Massimo Pacetti.
“I think that they should no longer be senators.”
Wallin’s office tells Global News she won’t comment on any of this until the independent audit into her travel expenses is completed – and that isn’t expected until after the summer.
The Conservatives were also taking heat Friday over a supposedly secret fund within the party reportedly controlled by the Prime Minister’s office.
But the Conservatives deny it.
“There is no separate fund,” said Conservative MP Pierre Poilievre.
“There is the Conservative Fund of Canada which covers all partisan expenses, including those of the prime minister, because he just happens to be the Conservative leader.”
Other parties confirm they, too, have similar funds.
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Conservatives say that fund was not used by Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s former chief of staff Nigel Wright to pay back Sen. Mike Duffy’s living expenses.
NDP leader Thomas Mulcair says Duffy is getting off scot-free.
“He’s never had to pay back,” said Mulcair.
“Mike Duffy still has the $90,000 of taxpayer’s money that he billed illegally at the Senate.”
Opposition parties promise keep pressuring the government for answers, but they’re running out of time and access to the prime minister.
The House is expected to rise for the summer break before June 21. Harper won’t be in the House of Commons next week: he’s visiting London and will address the British Parliament, and after that, he’ll be in Paris, Dublin, and the G-8 Lough Erne Summit in northern Ireland.
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