Pamela Wallin repays $100K in expenses, blames Senate 'lynch

[bud]

how should we be punished for this tragedy that has befallen our dear pam?

"Unfortunately, the Senate committee succumbed to a 'lynch mob' mentality. There was no regard to procedural or substantive fairness. I am disappointed and angry about the way in which this matter was handled, and any implication that I behaved dishonestly," Wallin said.

"I have not done anything wrong. I am not guilty of any misconduct. Accordingly I will not resign as a senator. I will continue to act for the people of Saskatchewan and Canada, fulfilling the duties of a senator that have been entrusted to me," her statement said.

link

[cybercoma]

It's tough to say. The claims were fraudulent and she should be repaying them. However, I do feel badly for her if she was completely unaware that they were fraudulent while at the same time the claims were accepted and paid out. Imagine if you made an expense claim to your employer and they paid it out to you only to come back later and ask for the money back, saying it's fraudulent and painting you as a criminal. That's not really fair. So in that sense, I feel bad for her if this is the case. Nevertheless, she should just say that and own up to it, taking responsibility for her actions. Her tone and contempt for the whole situation is not becoming of a Senator.

Edited September 16, 2013 by cybercoma

[Keepitsimple]

Cybercoma's claim is a symptom of the problem that Wallin faces. Cyber claims that her expenses were fraudulent - and the media has gladly fed this mentality. But there is a big difference between fraudulent expenses and "inadmissible" expenses. Fraudulent expenses are those that have knowingly been claimed to intentionally line one's pockets - and have no argument whatsoever for being considered legitimate. I have seen very little - if anything to support charges that her claims were fraudulent.

[Topaz]

How can she say she's done nothing wrong, when she never had a Saskatchwean health card to prove she was a citizen there, she spent more time in Toronto than Sask., she did have an Ontario health care,which one does have to be a citizen of and IF she had ANY doubt what she could write off, why didn't she ask someone????? You know, with 100 senators, how many are like her and with 308 MP's, when can we go over their expenses??

[jacee]

Cybercoma's claim is a symptom of the problem that Wallin faces. Cyber claims that her expenses were fraudulent - and the media has gladly fed this mentality. But there is a big difference between fraudulent expenses and "inadmissible" expenses. Fraudulent expenses are those that have knowingly been claimed to intentionally line one's pockets - and have no argument whatsoever for being considered legitimate. I have seen very little - if anything to support charges that her claims were fraudulent.

Really?

http://m.thetelegram.com/News/Local/2013-08-15/article-3351836/Senate-still-reviewing-$21K-in-additional-Pamela-Wallin-expense-claims/1

The auditors flagged $121,348 in inappropriate expenses and called for further review of nearly $21,000 in additional claims, mostly for travel to what Wallin described as networking events.

You think Wallin didn't know that she shouldn't charge taxpayers for her "networking events"?

I'm pretty sure she did know that, and that makes it intentional and fraudulent.

Edited September 16, 2013 by jacee

[Moonlight Graham]

It's tough to say. The claims were fraudulent and she should be repaying them. However, I do feel badly for her if she was completely unaware that they were fraudulent while at the same time the claims were accepted and paid out. Imagine if you made an expense claim to your employer and they paid it out to you only to come back later and ask for the money back, saying it's fraudulent and painting you as a criminal. That's not really fair. So in that sense, I feel bad for her if this is the case. Nevertheless, she should just say that and own up to it, taking responsibility for her actions. Her tone and contempt for the whole situation is not becoming of a Senator.

Even if she didn't "knowingly" make these improper claims, doing so many of them and not knowing they were right or wrong is still pretty irresponsible. This is a person helping to run this country and she can even get her claims right?

Also, she darn well knew 100% that all those trips back and forth weren't being paid out of HER pocket, she knew they were on the public dime, and whether she knew they weren't allowed is kind of irrelevant...no ethical person would charge the public all that money for plane rides etc. Either way, fraudulent or not, she was riding the taxpayer gravy train and should be punished in some way.

Of course her and Duffy don't want to resign, they have the best job in Canada, in terms of least amount of work for most pay, job security, benefits, and other perks.

[cybercoma]

All I'm saying is when you make expense claims that are incorrect and they're accepted and paid out is it not an auditing problem with the person signing the cheques?

[sharkman]

I can see an employee of a company not 100% sure if a certain expense is covered or not. The only way to find out is to try, right? Submit the claim and see if it's rejected. It gets accepted and a cheque is cut. So said employee is under the impression that this specific expense is allowable. Then 5 years later the employer says what the hell were you thinking, give me my money back!

This is one thing about the senate scandal that I don't understand. I read, and I'm not sure if it's true, that the government changed the rules for expenses and is now applying them retroactively. That would be wrong, in my opinion.

[BubberMiley]

The only way to find out is to try, right? Submit the claim and see if it's rejected.

I would encourage you to try that with your income tax deductions.

[Keepitsimple]

Really?

http://m.thetelegram.com/News/Local/2013-08-15/article-3351836/Senate-still-reviewing-$21K-in-additional-Pamela-Wallin-expense-claims/1

The auditors flagged $121,348 in inappropriate expenses and called for further review of nearly $21,000 in additional claims, mostly for travel to what Wallin described as networking events.

You think Wallin didn't know that she shouldn't charge taxpayers for her "networking events"?

I'm pretty sure she did know that, and that makes it intentional and fraudulent.

So the auditors say inappropriate - but you say you're pretty sure they are fraudulent. Most of that $121K was likely airfare....who knows - maybe 30 or 40 trips over that long period of time. But the big question is - what is a Senator's role? - especially one who is supposedly a huge advocate for Canada's military. Is she not allowed to meet people from other countries - from defense departments and any of the many related things that these "networking events" could have been related to? How about motive? What money went into her pocket? What personal gain was there? Yet you still boldly say it was all fraud?

[jacee]

/wallin-expensed-private-business-trips-to-toronto-and-guelph-rcmp-alleges-

Sen. Wallin, when questioned during an external audit, misrepresented the nature of these trips to Toronto, and at times, fabricating meetings which the RCMP was able to determine (through interviews) to have not taken place as asserted by Sen. Wallin," Cpl. Rudy Exantus wrote in the documents.

The documents detailed a number of examples of the alleged fabrications ...

It's clear from the specific examples in the article that Pamela Wall in is a bald faced liar and defrauded us ... for $25k.

Seems like rather small potatoes to ruin your professional and personal reputation for.

That's what an arrogant sense of entitlement gets you I guess. :/

Pathetic.

.

[Keepitsimple]

Seems like rather small potatoes to ruin your professional and personal reputation for.

..

Sure does. Makes one wonder if there's not some sort of explanation. We'll soon find out through what we call the Justice System. However, since you're up on your high horse, save your venom for Mac Harb - the only one who clearly went out of his way to defraud us in an overt, planned way......and then resigned in order to protect his entitlements - a nice fat pension....which he would have lost if convicted......but even Harb deserves a day in court. There's a juicy story to be told about the escapade with the lady ambassador from Brunei that was part of his scheme.

[On Guard for Thee]

Sure does. Makes one wonder if there's not some sort of explanation. We'll soon find out through what we call the Justice System. However, since you're up on your high horse, save your venom for Mac Harb - the only one who clearly went out of his way to defraud us in an overt, planned way......and then resigned in order to protect his entitlements - a nice fat pension....which he would have lost if convicted......but even Harb deserves a day in court. There's a juicy story to be told about the escapade with the lady ambassador from Brunei that was part of his scheme.

Speaking of days in court and juicy stories, just wait until The Duffster gets into court. I am betting Harper is a little uneasy about that whole show. Then of course there Brazeau, but that one is just a little sick. Anyway, nice going with the senate choices Stephen. That would be the same oe that said he wouldnt appoint senators, right...

[Big Guy]

I understand that when you have power then you seek money and when you have money then you seek power.

It is sad to see that some people have a sense of entitlement that applies only to them and not to others. It would be fair that Chretien wear the blame for Marc Harb and Harper wear the blame for Duffy, Wallin and Brazeau.

I guess the Marc Harb choice reflects on Chretien's bad decisions and I am certain I would never vote for a Party that would make him the next Prime Minister. As for Harper ...

[jacee]

Sure does. Makes one wonder if there's not some sort of explanation.

Ya, she made it up.

The RCMP investigated.

No one backed her up.

Wallin said she was a keynote speaker at a Arts and Letters Club event in 2012. The club's general manager said Wallin was never scheduled to speak at any of their events, the RCMP documents allege.

Wallin said she met in Toronto on April 18, 2009, with Canada's consul general to New York. But the RCMP documents allege the consul general, Dan Sullivan, said he was in New York that day and, furthermore, any formal meetings with her occurred before she was appointed to the Senate; "the other times were at birthday parties."

Wallin said she had a business dinner with Janet Yale, a senior Telus executive, to discuss telecommunications, regulatory issues and women's representation on corporate boards. But Yale has never had a private lunch or dinner with Wallin, the documents allege.

Wallin said she met in Toronto on July 2010 with Mark Massad of Skylink Aviation to discuss the Afghanistan mission and potential military needs. The RCMP documents allege that Massad said he resigned from Skylink and moved out of Toronto several months earlier.

Wallin said she attended a 2009 Toronto dinner in honour of Afghanistan's transportation minister. The minister told the RCMP he last visited Toronto in 2004, the documents allege.

Wallin said she had lunch with Jennifer Sloan, a senior executive with Vale Inco in September 2009 to discuss mining and foreign ownership issues. The RCMP allege Sloan ceased to work for Vale Inco in April of that year.

[cybercoma]

Clearly this is not a case of making expense claims only to find them inadmissible later, as I had originally thought. If that's the evidence the RCMP has, then this is clearly fraud and she's a scumbag of the highest order. Furthermore, Harper's judgement when it comes to appointing Senators should seriously be in question. If these are the kinds of people he surrounds himself with, then it's only a matter of time before we find out how deep the rabbit hole goes.

[jacee]

No it's clearly premeditated fraud.

I've never really understood people who would expose themselves to the possibility of such humiliation ... to save a few bucks.

[Je suis Omar]

Wallin said she met in Toronto on April 18, 2009, with Canada's consul general to New York. But the RCMP documents allege the consul general, Dan Sullivan, said he was in New York that day and, furthermore, any formal meetings with her occurred before she was appointed to the Senate; "the other times were at birthday parties."

--------------------

Wasn't Ms Wallin once a trusted journalist? Who worked for big media? The ones who frame the narrative?

Edited April 4, 2015 by Je suis Omar

[Moonbox]

It's clear from the specific examples in the article that Pamela Wall in is a bald faced liar and defrauded us ... for $25k.

Seems like rather small potatoes to ruin your professional and personal reputation for.

That's what an arrogant sense of entitlement gets you I guess. :/

Pathetic.

and that's pretty much all there is to the story people. Realistically, there should be no possible way that Wallin could keep her seat in the Senate. It's the same story for Mike Duffy. They're total creeps with not an ounce of integrity between them.

Even if it wasn't fraud in the strictest sense (which it appears to be), it was a gross abuse of the intended nature of the system and the confidence that Canadians place in them and the useless institution that is the Senate.

[On Guard for Thee]

and that's pretty much all there is to the story people. Realistically, there should be no possible way that Wallin could keep her seat in the Senate. It's the same story for Mike Duffy. They're total creeps with not an ounce of integrity between them.

Even if it wasn't fraud in the strictest sense (which it appears to be), it was a gross abuse of the intended nature of the system and the confidence that Canadians place in them and the useless institution that is the Senate.

And all brought to you by Stephen Harper.

[Smallc]

And all brought to you by Stephen Harper.

Stephen Harper has made some terrible appointments, but, let's be honest here - if you were looking for people to appoint to the senate, would you expect that two of Canada's most famous and in one case most trusted broadcasters would be a bad choice?

[On Guard for Thee]

Stephen Harper has made some terrible appointments, but, let's be honest here - if you were looking for people to appoint to the senate, would you expect that two of Canada's most famous and in one case most trusted broadcasters would be a bad choice?

You have a point, or could haven except I think we can reasonably assume that these two, and especially Duffy, were appointed mostly for their abilities as human cash registers. And Brazeau, well thats even easier to assess. It has surfaced during all the media swirl over the Duffy trial, that he at the time had asked to be appointed as a senator from Ontario, but that Harper insisted on the PEI connection. So, potentially good appointments done for all the wrong reasons, and now those chickens have come home to roost.

[Smallc]

You have a point, or could haven except I think we can reasonably assume that these two, and especially Duffy, were appointed mostly for their abilities as human cash registers.

So in other words, you wouldn't have suspected them for this either.

[Big Guy]

As to Duffy's character, he did already have a history of opportunism and has been sniffing around for a Senate appointment for many years. You notice that it did not take very long for his former peers and coworkers to turn on him.

The sad part of this trial so far, for me, is the disclosure of what an absolute screw up the Senate is. I am surprised and ashamed that these "honorable" appointees are anything but.

[Moonbox]

The sad part of this trial so far, for me, is the disclosure of what an absolute screw up the Senate is. I am surprised and ashamed that these "honorable" appointees are anything but.

Well, there's probably more honorable Senators than dishonorable ones. Either way, the fact that scum like Wallin can keep their Senate positions even AFTER essentially criminal conduct is a pretty damning indictment of the institution.