Three of the worst offenders the Canadian Senate has ever seen and who could become part of the undoing of Prime Minister Stephen Harper for his part in the Senate scandal have finally been suspended by the Senate. Senators Mike Duffy, Pamela Wallin and Patrick Brazeau are out of the chamber, cutting their salaries and use of office resources.
OTTAWA – Three of the worst offenders the Canadian Senate has ever seen and who could become part of the undoing of Prime Minister Stephen Harper for his part in the Senate scandal have finally been suspended by the Senate.
The Senate flexed its muscle Tuesday and in an unprecedented move tossed three of its members — Senators Mike Duffy, Pamela Wallin and Patrick Brazeau — out of the chamber, cutting their salaries and use of office resources, reported CBC News.
Senators were allowed to vote separately with these results:
On the motion to suspend Brazeau without pay, 50 yeas, 29 nays, 13 abstentions.
On the motion to suspend Duffy without pay, 52 yeas, 28 nays, 11 abstentions.
On the motion to suspend Wallin without pay, 52 yeas, 27 nays, 12 abstentions.
The suspensions are to last for the remainder of the session, likely until the next federal election in 2015.
It is the first time in Senate history a senator has been sanctioned in this way over expenses without being convicted of a criminal offence.
The Conservatives voted largely in favour of the motion for each senator, and the Liberals voted against, with some abstentions on both sides. As he indicated he would, Conservative Senator Hugh Segal voted against suspending Wallin, but also voted nay for Duffy and Brazeau.
Segal, the only Conservative to oppose the motions, told reporters, “I feel terrible,” adding, “This will have a huge impact on their lives.” Asked if he had any hope any of the senators would return to the Senate, he replied, “Zero,” adding, “This is a virtual expulsion.”
In a written speech apparently intended as a final plea before the Senate voted on his future, Duffy listed his achievements as a senator and characterized efforts to suspend him and Brazeau and Wallin as a “witch hunt.”
However, Duffy did not appear in the Senate chamber Tuesday afternoon when he may have had an opportunity to address the Senate chamber.
In “written remarks” emailed to CBC News on Tuesday and dated Nov. 5, Duffy also revealed he is scheduled for a “heart procedure” on Friday.
