Mike Duffy trial: 8 allegedly fraudulent trips that cost almost $38,000

WATCH: The judge in Mike Duffy Senate expense scandal trial lost his patience and berated the Crown for failing to produce any substantive evidence after three weeks. Mike Le Couteur reports.

OTTAWA – Mike Duffy billed the Senate $50 a night to stay with his own son in Vancouver during an allegedly fraudulent business trip that coincided with the birth of his grandchild, documents released at his criminal trial reveal.

He also charged the upper chamber more than $3,000 to travel from Prince Edward Island to Ottawa for a medical appointment, which was initially rejected because it was deemed to be personal and not Senate business, emails show.

When questioned by Senate officials, Duffy’s assistant said the now-suspended senator had to travel back to the National Capital Region for a community event. The expenses were evidently then allowed.

The details make up almost $38,000 in travel claims for first-class flights, meals, transportation, accommodation and Ottawa living expenses that Duffy submitted to the Senate over three years, which the RCMP now alleges was criminal.

See the documents below

Duffy, who is at the end of his third week of a lengthy criminal trial, is facing 31 charges in total, all but one of them for fraud and breach of trust.

He also faces a bribery charge for accepting $90,000 from former chief of staff Nigel Wright to pay off his living expenses.

The travel claims in question make up 16 of Duffy’s fraud and breach of trust charges, associated with eight trips he took between June 2009 and Sept 2012.

Duffy is also facing two charges related to his allegedly “personal” travel to five funerals in PEI and Halifax.

WATCH: Mike Duffy may have to answer for why he allegedly billed taxpayers to attend funerals.

None of the allegations have been proven in court.

Duffy has pleaded not guilty to all charges. His lawyer Donald Bayne has said he will prove all of Duffy’s travel was for valid Senate work, and that combining business trips with personal travel was allowed under the rules.

A review of Duffy’s expense claims and diaries, both released as exhibits in his trial, offer more details into the Crown’s case against the one-time Senate star:

Fundraising:

Two of Duffy’s allegedly fraudulent trips in June 2009 include fundraising events with fellow Conservative MPs Barry Devolin in Cambray, Ont., and John Duncan in Comox, B.C., according to documents.

Duffy billed the trips as Senate business for “speaking engagements,” but did not specifically mention the fundraising element. His flight to Comox, however, was covered by the event host, according to his travel claim.

While Senate rules say partisan activities are an “inherent” part of a senator’s Parliamentary function, reimbursement for fundraising travel is not allowed.

Both Devolin and Duncan have been subpoenaed by the Crown to testify. The two trips cost around $7,700 in total.

Family trips:

The Crown has accused Duffy of billing taxpayers for “family vacations.”

READ MORE: Mike Duffy billed taxpayers for vacations, a personal trainer and trip to adopt a puppy, Crown alleges

In four cases, Duffy claimed Senate business for travel that, according to his diaries, coincided with life or social events.

• In September 2009, Duffy charged more than $8,000 for a three-day trip to Vancouver with his wife Heather, who is allowed to accompany him on official trips. While his travel claim said, “Senate business,” Duffy’s diary revealed he also attended his daughter Miranda’s play. An event to attend the Saanich, B.C. fair with former Conservative MP Gary Lunn was cancelled, the diary says.

• In July 2010, Duffy spent almost $700 to drive to Peterborough, Ont. for “Public business – meet local officials on broadcasting issues.” His diary says he met former Conservative Dean Del Mastro and wife for coffee, and also attended a kennel club show, which the Crown alleges was essentially a trip to buy a puppy. Bayne countered in court that no dog was purchased that day.

• Between Dec. 9 and 12, 2010, Duffy and his wife’s $10,600 trip to Vancouver for “Senate business-speaking engagements + meetings,” coincided with the birth of his grandson, according to his diary. Duffy also charged the Senate’s standard $50 fee for private accommodation to stay with “friends,” totalling $150 over three nights. According to his diary, Duffy stayed at least one night with his son Gavin in Vancouver. Duffy did attend a fundraiser in Victoria on Dec. 10, his diary says, but it does not appear he charged the Senate for his travel.

• Another trip to Vancouver for a few days in late December 2011 for “Senate business” cost almost $4,500. Duffy’s diary shows he spent New Year’s Eve and Day with his family. On Jan. 3, Duffy had lunch with MP Andrew Saxton at the Royal Vancouver Yacht Club to discuss the “upcoming federal budget,” which Bayne billed as an important consultation.

Medical appointments:

In July 2012, Duffy claimed more than $3,100 in expenses for a two-day trip from Charlottetown to Ottawa and back. His expense claim form said it was for a “medical appointment with specialist in Ottawa.”

The Senate initially rejected that claim, but eventually it was allowed after Duffy’s assistant said he also attended an event. Emails from Senate officials also suggested another Conservative senator, David Tkachuk, was allowed to bill for a dental appointment.

Former top Senate finance official Nicole Proulx told the court Friday that if a senator had to return to his or her home province for an urgent medical appointment, it would be approved. But not for travel to Ottawa, she said.

A few months later in September, Duffy claimed another approximately $3,100 for the same trip. The purpose was “Speaking engagements – Senate business.”

Duffy’s diaries reveal a series of medical appointments, as well as a photo-op and speaking engagement at Ottawa’s Westin Hotel, for which the Crown said in opening arguments Duffy was paid $11,000.