National

Internal Senate Report On Residency Surfaces At Duffy Trial But No Details

Darpan News Desk The Canadian Press, 28 Apr, 2015 10:40 AM

OTTAWA — Mike Duffy's lawyer is considering whether to fight for the release of a politically sensitive audit that the Senate wants kept under wraps.

News of the audit, which was commissioned in late 2012 or early 2013 when the Senate expense scandal began to unfold, surfaced Monday at Duffy's trial in Ottawa.

The suspended senator is facing fraud, breach of trust and bribery charges and has maintained that he is innocent and did not break any rules.

The trial heard Monday that the Senate is trying to block the release of the audit which it quietly conducted into the residency status of all senators.

Duffy's lawyer Donald Bayne and the Crown prosecutor discussed the fact that a lawyer for the Senate is claiming parliamentary privilege to keep the audit secret.

Bayne will have to decide whether it's worth fighting to get the audit into the open, possibly through a separate legal challenge.

Senate spokesperson Nancy Durning said she could not discuss a matter that is before the courts.

Prev Next

MORE National ARTICLES

B.C. Man Convicted Of Killing Three Women, One Girl Files Appeal

VANCOUVER — A man who was convicted of killing three women and a teen girl in central British Columbia has filed an appeal.

B.C. Man Convicted Of Killing Three Women, One Girl Files Appeal

Book About Rape Wins $40,000 B.C. National Award For Canadian Non-fiction

Karyn L. Freedman, a philosophy professor at the University of Guelph in Ontario, received the prize for her book "One Hour in Paris: A True Story of Rape and Recovery."

Book About Rape Wins $40,000 B.C. National Award For Canadian Non-fiction

Coroner Identifies Man Who Died After RCMP Used Conducted Energy Weapon

VANCOUVER — The coroners service has identified a man who died in Chilliwack, B.C., after Mounties used a conducted energy weapon.

Coroner Identifies Man Who Died After RCMP Used Conducted Energy Weapon

U.S. OK's Genetically Engineered B.C. Apples For Sale South Of Border

VANCOUVER — A British Columbia firm that created a controversial apple genetically engineered not to turn brown has been given a stamp of approval by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

U.S. OK's Genetically Engineered B.C. Apples For Sale South Of Border

Shawn Matthias Records The First Hat Trick Of His Career As Canucks Down Bruins

VANCOUVER — Shawn Matthias' first NHL hat trick came in front of his biggest fan. The bruising centre scored three times with his dad looking on Friday as the Vancouver Canucks downed the Boston Bruins 5-2.

Shawn Matthias Records The First Hat Trick Of His Career As Canucks Down Bruins

Mohamed Fahmy Criticizes Canada For Mistakes That Have Kept Him In Egypt: Report

CAIRO — Canadian journalist Mohamed Fahmy is pulling no punches when it comes to who he blames for the 400 days he's spent in a Cairo prison — and Prime Minister Stephen Harper and former foreign affairs minister John Baird are on his list.