Parliament resumes

Parliament was back in session Monday after a six week recess and it didn’t take long for MP’s to refocus on unresolved issues, particularly the Senate spending scandal.

You’d think a few weeks of breathing room would quiet the fire, but right off the top of Question Period, Opposition Leader Thomas Mulcair started in on Prime Minister Stephen Harper with questions about unreleased information: “The Privy Council office, which reports directly to the Prime Minister, has just refused to release 27 of 29 documents about the expenses of Senators Duffy, Wallin, Brazeau and Harb. A very simple question. Is the Prime Minister going to release those documents, yes or no. If he has nothing to hide, why won’t he release them?”

Prime Minister Harper: “Access to information requests are handled by independent public servants and by lawyers who make those judgements according to the law, it is up to them to respond appropriately.”

Mulcair: “The Privy Council office is under the direct authority of the Prime Minister. Those people can say what he’s allowed to not release. They can’t stop him from releasing something in the public interest. Why doesn’t he release it if he’s got nothing to hide?”

The document in question includes information about the Senate expenses of ex-Liberal Senator, Mac Harb and suspended former Conservative Senators, Pamela Wallin, Patrick Brazeau and Mike Duffy who are being investigated for misclaimed expenses. The NDP requested a copy of the report, but was denied. Mulcair wasn’t the only MP pushing the Senate issue. Harper was hammered by several questions about why the process has been so secretive.

Finance Minister Jim Flaherty revealed the date of his upcoming budget announcement. He’ll table it on February 11th, and says it focuses on job growth.

That’s just as the Sochi Olympics are getting underway. and people are speculating as to whether that’s a strategy from Flaherty, suggesting he’s intentionally dropping the budget at a time when Canadians will be distracted by the games.