Amid an upcoming cabinet shuffle, Conservative Senate Leader Marjory LeBreton has resigned the cabinet and a few other Conservative MPs have indicated they won’t run for re-election. The spring sitting was mired in scandal and the upcoming cabinet shuffle may be Harper’s only hope at reviving a severely tarnished brand.

The Conservatives are one to talk about ethics when Senators from their party committed the same acts as they claim were wrong for Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau to do. Former NHL Coach and Conservative Senator Jacques Demers, however, did the same thing as Trudeau, painting Tory claims with a thick coat of hypocrisy. While collecting a salary in the senate, Demers collected money for speaking to a literacy charity.

On March 25, the Commons Board of Internal Economy decided to give MPs a pay increase and larger travel allowance. MPs will be getting a 1.6% raise while also receiving 6.7% more money for their travel allowances. The changes were only made public Thursday when it was tabled in the House of Commons. In a time of economic uncertainty and a focus on reducing deficits, increasing MP salaries and travel allowances proves to be reckless and irresponsible.

Conservative senator David Tkachuk is stepping down as head of the Internal Economy Committee as of Thursday citing “preventative treatment for cancer.” Tkachuk was allegedly responsible for whitewashing an audit made on the expense claims of former Conservative Senator Mike Duffy. He chaired the committee since 2011 and was appointed to the senate in 1993 by former Prime Minister Brian Mulroney.

Government Senate Leader Marjory LeBreton will ask the auditor general to conduct a “comprehensive” audit over senate expenses. She said she will launch the audit Tuesday and will put the entire senate under the microscope.

Liberal leader Justin Trudeau told the Federation of Canadian Municipalities yesterday in Vancouver, the only way to restore public trust in public officials is to “raise the bar” on accountability. He also told the audience he is not in favour of the status quo in the senate and explained his stance on opening the constitution. Trudeau announced plans to announce new transparency measures in the near future.

An email from 2009 shows former Conservative senator Mike Duffy asked the Conservative party for more perks just six months after Prime Minister Stephen Harper appointed him. The email shows Duffy’s desire to get greater compensation for an “expanded role” in the Conservative party. He suggested joining cabinet without a portfolio to get more perks.

The barrage of opposition questions came again today but rather than stutter and be caught off guard, Prime Minister Stephen Harper fought back, changing the topic and responding with direct attacks on his opponents. NDP leader Thomas Mulcair was able to get through a bulk of his list of questions and like Tuesday, they were sharp and concise.

The Senate’s Internal Economy committee has unanimously sent senator Mike Duffy’s expense claims to the RCMP for investigation last night. The motion came from Conservative Senator Larry Smith after the committee heard a report from Senate Clerk Gary O’Brien which revealed a pattern of living expense claims in Ottawa while working on senate business outside the capital. This comes after days of relentless pounding from the opposition and Liberal Senators who asked for this days ago.

For the first time since the scandal broke, Prime Minister Stephen Harper appeared in Question Period to answer the many question opposition leaders had concerning the Duffy affair. NDP leader Thomas Mulcair and Liberal leader Justin Trudeau hammered the government with short concise questions that were difficult to dodge. At times, Harper looked shaken, and still managed to dodge questions.