NDP OUTLINES PLAN TO CLEAN UP SENATE CORRUPTION

Harper said Duffy was his ‘best and hardest working appointment ever’

Outside the courthouse where Senator Mike Duffy is on trial on 31 charges, the NDP outlined their concrete plan to raise the bar on accountability in the Senate and end wasteful spending and blatant partisan abuses.

“While the Conservatives and Liberals continue rely on Senators for partisan support, we believe Canadians deserve immediate accountability on the Senate - once and for all,” said the NDP’s Charlie Angus (Timmins-James Bay).

While working to abolish the Senate, the NDP would immediately implement the following policies:

1. Prohibit Senators from tax-payer funded partisan work. Senators would no longer participate in party caucuses or do fundraising, organizing or public advocacy on behalf of a political party using Senate resources.
2. End taxpayer-sponsored travel not directly related to Senators’ legislative work.
3. Establish a single Ethics Code and a single Ethics Commissioner for all Parliamentarians.

“Stephen Harper promised to clean up Liberal corruption, but he’s actually made things worse” said Angus. “Today there are 35 Senators under RCMP investigation, including 12 Senators appointed by Stephen Harper, 19 appointed by other Conservative Prime Ministers and 16 appointed by the Liberals’ said Angus.

“The ongoing Senate scandals are just more reasons why Canadians are ready for change in Ottawa,” said Angus. “And the NDP is ready too”