OTTAWA - Police may yet be called in to investigate dozens of New Democrat MPs who used taxpayers' dollars to pay the salaries of aides working in satellite party offices.
Well-placed sources say referring the matter to the police is an option that has been considered in the past by members of the board of internal economy, the multi-party committee that oversees House of Commons spending.
And they say it's still a "live" option that could be employed if the NDP continues to thumb its nose at the board, which has ordered 68 MPs to personally repay a total of $2.75 million.
Multiple sources spoke to The Canadian Press on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak for the ultra-secretive board.
The board ruled last August that New Democrat MPs improperly pooled money from their Commons office budgets to pay the salaries of 28 staffers working in satellite party offices in Montreal, Quebec City and Toronto.
In the days leading up to that decision, sources say draft motions for dealing with the matter were circulated to all board members. Several included referring the matter to the appropriate legal authorities.
However, the police option was shelved on the recommendation of Commons Speaker Andrew Scheer, who chairs the board. The sources say Scheer had been approached by the NDP about negotiating a settlement and he feared involving the police would poison any goodwill.
New Democrats have insisted all along that they did nothing wrong, that the satellite office employees worked strictly on parliamentary matters for MPs. They've dismissed the board as a partisan "kangaroo court" and applied to the Federal Court to overturn the board's ruling.
The court challenge was suspended in November while the two sides attempted to reach an out-of-court settlement. But earlier this month, when the board began issuing bills to the 68 MPs for their share of the scheme, NDP House leader Peter Julian declared that the party would revive the court case.
Some three weeks later, the court case remains suspended, fuelling suspicions among rival parties that the NDP is simply trying to rag the puck until after the next federal election, scheduled for October.
The board has given the New Democrat MPs 90 days — until early May — to reimburse the Commons or face having their salaries or other sources of Commons funding garnisheed.
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Alleged NDP misuse of taxpayer dollars could yet be turned over to police | National Newswatch
Well-placed sources say referring the matter to the police is an option that has been considered in the past by members of the board of internal economy, the multi-party committee that oversees House of Commons spending.
And they say it's still a "live" option that could be employed if the NDP continues to thumb its nose at the board, which has ordered 68 MPs to personally repay a total of $2.75 million.
Multiple sources spoke to The Canadian Press on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak for the ultra-secretive board.
The board ruled last August that New Democrat MPs improperly pooled money from their Commons office budgets to pay the salaries of 28 staffers working in satellite party offices in Montreal, Quebec City and Toronto.
In the days leading up to that decision, sources say draft motions for dealing with the matter were circulated to all board members. Several included referring the matter to the appropriate legal authorities.
However, the police option was shelved on the recommendation of Commons Speaker Andrew Scheer, who chairs the board. The sources say Scheer had been approached by the NDP about negotiating a settlement and he feared involving the police would poison any goodwill.
New Democrats have insisted all along that they did nothing wrong, that the satellite office employees worked strictly on parliamentary matters for MPs. They've dismissed the board as a partisan "kangaroo court" and applied to the Federal Court to overturn the board's ruling.
The court challenge was suspended in November while the two sides attempted to reach an out-of-court settlement. But earlier this month, when the board began issuing bills to the 68 MPs for their share of the scheme, NDP House leader Peter Julian declared that the party would revive the court case.
Some three weeks later, the court case remains suspended, fuelling suspicions among rival parties that the NDP is simply trying to rag the puck until after the next federal election, scheduled for October.
The board has given the New Democrat MPs 90 days — until early May — to reimburse the Commons or face having their salaries or other sources of Commons funding garnisheed.
more
Alleged NDP misuse of taxpayer dollars could yet be turned over to police | National Newswatch
