Asked in February by NDP Leader Tom Mulcair about Senator Pamela Wallin's expenses, he went so far as to personally guarantee that her expenses were fine.

 "In terms of Senator Wallin, I have looked at the numbers. Her travel costs are comparable to any parliamentarian travelling from that particular area of the country over that period of time"

–Stephen Harper, February 13th, 2013

 Apparently, auditors had a different view of Senator Wallin's spending record. And now, Ms. Wallin has followed in the footsteps of Mike Duffy and Patrick Brazeau and has left the Conservative caucus because of her expense claims.

 Whether she's in the Conservative caucus or not, she'll still cost Canadians hundreds of thousands of dollars for years to come.

 And her departure does nothing to explain why the Prime Minister's office was involved with $90,000 secret payouts and cover-ups.

 Canadians deserve better.

 Our condolences also go out to the Cree people, particularly Red Sucker Lake First Nation – Elijah’s birthplace – on the loss of their leader and elder.

 Elijah was the first First Nation person elected to provincial parliament, and he was elected as a New Democrat.

 While his quiet stand against the Meech Lake Accord, because it was negotiated without the input of Aboriginal peoples, is what most will remember about him, in recent years he became a respected spiritual leader, helping people of all backgrounds find healing and understanding.

 He was also instrumental in establishing National Aboriginal Day on June 21^st, which has become a Canada-wide celebration of First Nation, Inuit and Métis peoples, their history and contemporary culture.

His leadership helped inspire a new generation to take up the cause of indigenous sovereignty, and honour the survivors of residential schools. His passing will be mourned by many across Canada.

Today, on the International Day Against Homophobia, New Democrats are proud to stand in solidarity with the LGBT(Q) community here at home and abroad as we renew our commitment to speaking out against discrimination, prejudice and violence.

Although we’ve made great strides in Canada, there is still much work to be done to eliminate the hostility and ostracism that members of the LGBT(Q) community face in this country and around the world. In many countries, being homosexual is sadly still a crime and rates of cyberhomophobia are on the rise.

New Democrats are proud of our record of recognizing the right of every Canadian to live free from fear of persecution regardless of sexual orientation or gender expression.

NDP Leader Tom Mulcair has been a strong advocate for gay and transgender rights, working to strengthen Quebec Charter protections for gays and lesbians. Svend Robinson, Canada’s first openly gay MP, introduced a bill that extended hate crimes protection to gays and lesbians. In March, the NDP bill to make violence against transgender Canadians a hate crime passed in the House of Commons.

New Democrats are committed to ensuring equality, diversity and understanding among all people. We will continue to work towards the day when the rights of gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender and transsexual people are recognized around the world—and the simple act of being who you are is no longer considered “brave.”

TORONTO – Today, NDP Democratic Reform critic Craig Scott (Toronto-Danforth) sent a letter to Elections Canada asking for an investigation of Mike Duffy’s expense claims from the last federal election. 

“Media reports indicate that the Senator may have been claiming taxpayer-funded expenses while campaigning during the last election,” said Scott. “Today, I wrote to the Commissioner of Elections Canada asking for them to investigate possible Elections Act violations and get to the bottom of this troubling affair.” 

The letter to the Commissioner is attached.

 Duffy was listed as being on senate business, on the same days he was out on the campaign trail for the Conservatives.

 Back in the 2011 campaign, the NDP raised red flags about Conservative and Liberal Senators campaigning on the public dime, and even allowed Canadians to help us out by emailing us or using the #sawasenator hashtag whenever they spotted a campaigning senator.

 In contrast, Mr. Duffy claimed at the time:

 “We are not on a leave of absence - Parliament was dissolved - we are still senators. However, all party work we are doing is paid for by the party."
– Postmedia news, April 11, 2011

 Conservatives and Liberals have been relying for far too long on Senate largesse to pay for their campaign organizers and fundraisers.

 Canadians deserve better.

 While Conservatives stand up for their Senate entitlements, the NDP will continue to stand up for the taxpayer.

– Stephen Harper, November 4, 2005 

Strong words – that were then followed by seven years of complacency. And now the Stephen Harper Conservatives circle the wagons to defend their entitlements.  

In fact the PMO is doubling down by claiming they bank-rolled Mike Duffy’s housing expense repayments: 

“Mr. Duffy was not in a position to pay them himself. So what we have here is that Nigel Wright did an exceptionally honourable thing. He reached into his own resources, wrote a personal cheque out of his own bank account to cover the costs of these ineligible expenses.”

– Parliamentary Secretary Pierre Poilievre, CBC, May 15, 2013 

As ridiculous as Mr. Poilievre sounds trying to defend this ninety thousand dollar payout, the excuses got even more implausible after emailed statements from Senator Duffy were released that contradict the PMO and undercut the Conservatives’ defence.  

“The Royal Bank helped me…I dealt with my bank personally. Nigel played no role”

– Senator Mike Duffy in email to CTV, CTV News, May 14, 2013

No, Mr. Poilievre, with conflicting stories and shady backroom deals, there is nothing “honourable” to be found in the actions of these high ranking Conservatives. (Guys, the first rule of any cover-up is to get your stories straight from the start!) 

Canadians deserve better.

I gave to them my account of a meeting I had with Mayor Gilles Vaillancourt dating back to 1994. 

As is indicated, I effectively and immediately ended the meeting with Mr. Vaillancourt. 

This matter is currently before the courts and I will therefore avoid further comment.

TIMMINS – NDP Ethics critic Charlie Angus (Timmins--James Bay) has written to the Senate Ethics Officer Lyse Ricard asking for an investigation into accusations of a ‘cash-for-repayment’ scheme involving Mike Duffy and the Prime Minister’s Office. 

The PMO has admitted that Stephen Harper’s Chief of Staff Nigel Wright gave $90,000 to Senator Duffy as part of a deal around Mr. Duffy’s role in the Senate expense scandal, which involves a number of Conservative and Liberal Senators. According to news reports last night, Mr. Duffy has denied the payments. 

“With so many conflicting stories and such serious allegations, I hope the Senate ethics officer acts quickly to launch an investigation into Mr. Duffy’s actions,” said Angus. “With the prime minister’s own chief of staff in the middle, I also urge Conservatives to agree to immediately put in place an independent advisor to investigate these serious allegations.” 

Angus’ letter to the Senate ethics officer is attached.

– Stephen Harper, November 30, 2005 

Promise made – promise broken. 

In fact, it now looks like at least one rule-breaker was allegedly being bank-rolled by the top PMO staffer. 

CTV News has been reporting new revelations about a secret backroom scheme hatched between Senator Mike Duffy and Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s Chief of Staff Nigel Wright. In this ‘cash for repayment’ scheme, Mr. Wright allegedly gave assurances to Senator Duffy that the money he was being forced to repay, (expenses he claimed but was not entitled to,) would be covered. 

According to these allegations, PMO officials agreed to “go easy” on Senator Duffy in exchange for his silence. 

When pressed to co-operate with the auditors, Senator Duffy stated in an email: 

“I stayed silent on the orders of the PMO.”
– Mike Duffy, CTV News, May 15, 2013 

And to make a sordid tale even worse, it is now being reported that the $90,000 used by Duffy to repay his expense abuses was covered by a personal cheque written by Nigel Wright to Mike Duffy – and they’re declaring this a “gift”! 

As of this morning, we checked the website of the Senate Ethics Officer, and there is no listing of this or any gifts to Senator Duffy. 

Secret deals between the prime minister’s top staffer and an unelected, unaccountable and under investigation senator. Canadians deserve better.

OTTAWA – Revelations about an alleged cash-for-repayment scheme developed by Mike Duffy and the Prime Minister’s Chief of Staff Nigel Wright are proof that an independent investigation is needed into the Senate spending scandal, according to the NDP. 

New Democrat Ethics critic Charlie Angus(Timmins--James Bay) also reiterated his call for Senators to turn over the investigation into the expense scandal to the police to investigate whether any senators were guilty of breaking the law when they claimed thousands in expenses they were not entitled to. 

“On top of the original expense scandal, we now have allegations of unethical behaviour and cover-ups inside the Prime Minister’s Office—reaching right up to Stephen Harper’s chief of staff,” said Angus. “Conservatives must agree to an independent investigation into these troubling allegations involving his most senior advisors.” 

“We have the abuse of taxpayers’ dollars, the leaking of a confidential audit report and allegations of a ‘cash-for-repayment’ scheme quarterbacked right out of the PMO,” said Angus. “The dark cloud of ethical failures hanging over the Prime Minister’s Office is growing larger.” 

“This is a very serious charge against Stephen Harper’s right-hand man. The prime minister cannot bury his head in the sand hoping it will go away.”