Mike Duffy, one of the Canadian senators under housing allowance scam finally vowed to reimburse the thousands of dollars he claimed for housing expenses. After weeks of denying addressing the controversy and staying away from media, Mike Duffy Friday admitted that he might have made a mistake.
"The Senate rules on housing allowances are not clear and the forms are confusing. I filled out the Senate forms in good faith and believed I was in compliance with the rules," said Mike Duffy in a statement, "Now it turns out I may have been mistaken".
"Rather than let this issue drag on, my wife and I have decided that the allowance associated with my house in Ottawa will be repaid," added the Prince Edward Island senator.
Liberal Senator Mac Harb and Senator Patrick Brazeau of Quebec were two others who were being investigated for living expenses they claimed as senators.
A senator whose home is 100 kilometers away from Ottawa can ask for a second residence in the city and get up to $21,000 annually or can ask for the reimbursement of living expenses for travelling from one's own house.
The senators under the housing scam were believed to have either asked for travelling reimbursement though they lived in the city or asked for second home in which they never lived.
Following the scam, more than 78 percent of Canadians demanded either to abolish the senate or be reformed, according to a poll conducted by Ipsos Reid for Post Media News and Global Television.
Only 22 percent of Canadians said that they were content with the senate.
Prime Minister Stephen Harper in 2009 appointed Mike Duffy to the upper chamber.
Though the conservative senator agreed to reimburse the house allowance, it is not clear how much he will pay back and the senate auditing-committee has decided to stop investigating his spending.
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