Senate's new expense cop

The Senate is turning to a former justice of the Supreme Court of Canada to referee any disputes arising among senators over dubious expense claims flagged by the auditor general.

It's the latest attempt by the Senate to get ahead of what is widely expected to be a critical report on past spending practices.

Ian Binnie will be called to intervene in cases where senators who are ordered to pay back disallowed expense claims opt to challenge either the findings of the report or the amount they are required to repay.

But Binnie may not be that busy. Senators have already started repaying expense claims questioned by auditor general Michael Ferguson, ensuring they won't go to arbitration.

The repayments started shortly after Ferguson's audit teams walked into Senate offices almost two years ago and, according to Senate sources, have picked up steam in recent weeks since senators received their final audit results.

"Once we have the report we'll be able to determine who has repaid and whether that amount matches the amount in the report," said Senate spokeswoman Nancy Durning. "All amounts owing and paid will be made public, whether they happened before or after the report is released."

Senators in the most trouble with auditors are expected to avail themselves of the arbitration process, hoping to avoid a hefty repayment order, or having their file sent to the RCMP for review.

Senate sources who are familiar with the auditor's work say Ferguson is expected to recommend that 10 cases be referred to the RCMP.

Up to 30 other senators are expected to face repayment orders worth thousands — as high as $20,000 in at least one case — over travel claims that didn't involve Senate business, as well as questionable office contracts and housing claims.

Ferguson's report is expected to be delivered to the Senate some time next week.

Senate Speaker Leo Housakos said current and retired senators in trouble with Ferguson will have the chance for a hearing with Binnie.

"Every single case that the auditor general identifies where there are disagreements will have the arbitration process at their disposal, including those that will be, I assume, referred to the RCMP or any other authority," Housakos told a news conference Tuesday on Parliament Hill.

Senators who don't repay the upper chamber will have their salaries clawed back until the Senate recoups all the money owed to it.