Sen. Harb Resigns, Repays Over $230,000
Mac Harb has resigned from the Senate after repaying over $231,000. He has additionally abandoned the legal fight to defend the housing claims he made earlier. Interestingly, Mr Harb was not required to retire before 2028 from the job which used to fetch $132,000 every year for him. Jean Chretien appointed Harb in 2003.
The decision has reportedly been caused by the wide possibilities of a Senate review by the Auditor-General of Canada. Mr Harb's lawyer said that the senator did not prefer being the "poster boy" of the audit which would apparently take a long time.
Thomas Mulcair, the NDP leader, launched a tour earlier to dump the alleged senators. Mr Mulcair has been harshly critical about a number of senators who are going through criminal investigation. Mr Harb was also among the ones whom Mulcair campaigned against.
Mr Mulcair hopes that Canadians would refuse to accept the Senate anymore and show their agitation. The criminal charges against the senators seem to be a strong issue that the New Democrats are going to use during their campaign for the federal election in 2015. According to Mr Mulcair, the Senate appears to be a financial waste. The senators, Mr Mulcair said, are only bothered about the benefit of their party, not of the provinces they belong to.
The exact amount Mr Harb repaid is $231,649.07 which includes $180,166.17 that he received on Monday. The amount also included $51,482.90 that he received from the Senate in July. The total amount consists of the living expenses and similar others which Mr Harb made between 2005 and 2011. An interest worth $38,758.59 has also been included in the total amount.
Other senators who have been questioned over their expense claims include Raymond Lavigne. Jean Chretien was responsible for appointing Mr Lavigne, the former senator, as well. Mr Chretien has already been convicted of breach of trust and fraud. He is serving a 6-month term in jail at the moment.
Other senators who are going to be audited include Mike Duffy, Pamela Wallin and Patrick Brazeau. All three of them were appointed by Stephen Harper, the prime minister.