Patrick Brazeau clear to return to Senate as fraud charges dropped

Charges of fraud and breach of trust against PatrickBrazeauwere withdrawn by the Crown Wednesday, meaning the Quebec senatoris now able to return to his seat in the Red Chamber after a long legal battle over questionable expense claims.

"As you know my client had many difficulties with his personal life," Brazeau's lawyer Christian Deslauriers told reporters outside the courthouse."He's very happy that the charges have been dropped," he said, adding that Brazeau will return to the Senate, although he didn't know exactly when.

Deslauriers said the RCMP'sdecision to charge Brazeauwas a costly mistake that tied up police resources and put Brazeau through a great deal of emotional pain, which ultimately led to a failed suicide attempt.

"Quite frankly, it was abig waste of moneythat these charges were authorized to proceed ... and this destroyed Mr. Brazeau for three years now. He's been having a hard time with this.Mr. Brazeauwent through a hell of a life since then."

• A chronology of the Senate expenses scandal

The lawyer said Brazeau'slivingexpenses were audited by Deloitte and KPMGaccounting firms that found the rules around residencyfuzzy at best. He also said that his client filed expense claims only after getting approval from Senate finance officials.

"If there was any political interference, I can't prove it, [but]I can believe in it," Deslaurierssaid when asked if he thought former prime minister Stephen Harper's office pressured the RCMPto pursue charges despite the findings of independent audits.

TheRCMPallegedBrazeaufraudulently claimed his primary residence was inManiwaki, Que. 135 kilometres north of Ottawa in order to collect a housing allowance only available to senators who live outside the National Capital Region.

Brazeautook a shot at Harper on Twitter Wednesday, saying the former prime minister couldofficially step down as a member of Parliament and abandon his right to claim parliamentary privilegenow that all of the criminal proceedingsrelatedto Senate expenses had wrapped.

Parliamentarians canavoid testifying at a criminal trial by invoking that privilege.

No 'reasonable' possibility of conviction

The Crown inBrazeau'scase said Wednesday there was no reasonable possibility of conviction given the outcomeof other recentcriminal cases involving Senate spending.

• Mike Duffy challenges Senate's demand to repay $16,955 in expenses
• Senator PamelaWallinwon't faceRCMPcharges over expenses

The three senators who were initially singled out by the Senate over their expenses have all had their expense claims reviewed and dealt with.

Senator PamelaWallin'sexpenses were the subject of a "thorough investigation," after whichRCMPdecided they would not press charges.

Senator Mike Duffy was charged with 31 offences relating to his expenses.He went to trial and was eventually cleared of all charges.

Retired senator MacHarbwas also charged, but those charges were withdrawn by the Crown.

Other brushes with the law

While his fraud and breach of trust charges were droppedWednesday, it won't be the end ofBrazeau'slegal woes. He still must return to court Oct. 26 to answer a charge of refusing to submit to a breathalyzer test for an incident that took place April 3.

Brazeau has pleaded not guilty to that charge.

• PatrickBrazeaupleads not guilty to refusing breathalyzer

The senator pleaded guilty to assault and possession of cocaine last year and receivedan unconditional discharge. Amore serious charge of sexual assault was dropped because of insufficient evidence.

Brazeau was on a leave of absence from the Senatewith pay. But late Wednesday he tweeted out a letter from the clerk of the Senate dated July 13 informing him that, with the Crown's decision to drop charges, his leave of absence has ended and his "access to Senatate resources is restored (pro-rated)."

He was initially suspendedwithout pay in 2013, but that suspension came to an end when Parliament was dissolved for the 2015 federal election.

Brazeau's salary wasclawed back for several months to repay almost $50,000 in ineligible expenses.

Senate expenses scandal by the numbers

8 years ago

Duration 2:38

The charges against Patrick Brazeau have been dropped, bringing a scandalous chapter in the senate's history to a close.