It turns out that Conservative Senator Mike Duffy is out of breath running away from the media. With the controversy over his housing allowance gaining ever more spin, and a senate spending audit underway, Duffty decided he would pay back the funds he received admitting they were not entitled to him and he also claimed the situation to be a misunderstanding. Based on Duffy’s actions, it may be well worth questioning the authenticity of this action.

Stephen Harper’s recent defense of Senator Pamela Wallin’s travelling expenses in times of austerity should have raised a red flag. Add on top of that, Senator Bert Brown’s claim that asking for his traveling expenses is a “threat” and what we already know of Senators Mike Duffy and Patrick Brazeau and only one thing can be said: for Conservatives, it’s alright for senators to be loose with taxpayer money.

Newly appointed Conservative Senators are finding their perks rather appealing – so appealing that they are cheating taxpayers to cash in. First Patrick Brazeau abused the system, and now Mike Duffy. We can all agree they should repay their takings and we all agree their expenses will never outweigh their salaries. We can, then, agree the housing allowance perk should be scrapped and the savings be refunded.