By: Althia Raj
Reflections:
Ex-senator Raymond Lavigne charged taxpayers $32 391 in expenses in the three months before an Ontario Supreme court found him guilty of fraud and breach of trust. Lavigne a former liberal who was turfed from the party caucus in Ottawa, retired from office last month before his colleagues would and strip him of his salary and pension. Documents that were released on Friday showed that Lavigne spent $20 281 on staff, $983.74 on hospitality, $6,565.28 on living expenses while in Ottawa and $4 560.91 on travel between Dec 1 2010 and Feb 28 2011 this was less than two weeks before the court had found him guilty. Lavigne is a Montreal area senator and he was convicted for defrauding the government of $10 120.50 in traveling claims and also breach of trust by misusing his office by telling a staff to cut trees on his property. But that isn't all he also spent $315 355 in senate expenses on top of his $132,000 pay cheque despite he not having any participation since 2007. The outrageous part is he will continue to receive his $79 000 pension but he will be sentenced on May 10 and can face up to 14 years in prison. Records that were released on Friday also showed that the 107 senators spent over 5 million dollars in three months when the senate only sat 17 times .( For individual top spenders check link)
This is a simple issue he spent the money he shouldn't have and defrauded the government. I personally feel that all the unnecessary spending that Lavigne Did he should pay that back to the government. Also how much the senate spends in three months is shocking. Of all the money they are spending can help solve many of the issues are society is dealing with like homelessness and the money could be put towards something better.So my personal feeling about abolishing the senate is stronger than ever.
This issue effects Canadians greatly especially now at election time. People aren't sure who is lying and who isn't now Lavigne was a liberalist and this gives liberals a bad rep. Also the Canadians don't know who to trust and how much more unnecessary spending is going on. So it brings up more questions and makes the voters think again who they want in office.
I don't believe the media favors anybody. They are slowly slanted towards the government. because there is nothing in it about Lavigne saying what he spent it on whether he wasted all the money or part of it was necessary and the occasions he used it in was it related to government business.
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