[Minnie]

The Mounties have been called in.

The Senate has asked the RCMP to investigate expenses claimed by Mike Duffy – and to look into the $90,000 payment he received from the Prime Minister’s former chief of staff – after a review found a pattern of questionable expenses claimed by the PEI senator.

Senate finance officials revealed information showing that Mr. Duffy attempted to claim 18 days of per diems for working in Ottawa during the Senate’s summer recess even though other records clearly showed the senator was in Prince Edward Island.

......After more than an hour of debate Tuesday evening, Conservative and Liberal senators on the internal economy committee voted unanimously to approve a report calling in the RCMP.