Harb Defence Strengthened by ‘Crucial’ Reports on Senate rules

This article was last updated on April 16, 2022

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Lawyer representing former senator, Mac Harb, recently mentioned in a statement issued on Tuesday that the findings of the Senate’s own auditors, which affirms that expense rules are unclear, could be “crucial” for his clients’ defence. Harb is currently facing several charges, including one count each of fraud over $5,000 and breach of trust, for housing expense claims he filed to the Senate over 10 years.

The one-time Liberal senator, Harb, has persistently stated at numerous occasions that he did not do anything wrong in claiming a secondary housing allowance while in the Senate. Before he repaid the Senate almost $231,000 in expenses dating back a decade, Harb alleged that the expenses audit, conducted by independent auditors from Deloitte, found that the Senate’s expense rules were vague and unclear.

Previously, the Senate also heard similar views from KPMG, which is the same firm that audits the Senate’s annual financial statements. Several sources claim that a letter addressed to the Senate by KPMG confirms the claim. In addition to Harb, other senators accused of fraud can also make use of the information, especially Sen. Patrick Brazeau. In an interview on Tuesday, lawyer Sean May stated that “it’s crucial information. It’s central to the issue,” adding that “(Harb) maintains he’s not done anything wrong and we’re seeing more and more information coming out … that people who are in a position to assess things are saying the rules are unclear.”