Independent oversight of senators’ expenses not necessary, Tory senator says
OTTAWA — A Conservative senator is pushing back against criticism that a proposal for keeping tabs on senators’ expense claims amounts to asking them to mark their own homework.
Sen. David Wells says he was surprised to hear the government’s representative in the Senate, Peter Harder, reject the proposal to create a permanent audit and oversight committee, made up of five senators.
Harder is pushing instead for creation of an independent committee that includes members from outside the Senate.
He argues a senators-only committee raises the perception of conflict of interest, with senators sitting in judgment on the expense claims of their colleagues.