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CTV has given Senator Brazeau an opportunity to respond to the allegations and stories that seem to be haunting him. There appears to be a great deal of “No Not Me” but very little to back up the claims. It would seem like a simple matter to disclose correspondence from Health Canada saying that the $200,000 plus in expenses that he now claims are allowable have been accepted by Health Canada as legitimate. In addition, it would seem like things like $7,000 plus cheques going to each of the Board Members including himself would be explained.
If the reports are sealed to protect the complainant why is the complainant asking for them to be made public and pursuing the matter to other judicial reviews? Just a few things that seem to not have answers – but also recognizing that some of the more personal things – like child support and relationships with kids is not information that should be a part of public domain in my view. Those issues need to remain with his son and he needs to be answerable to him – in my view it is not part of the package of being transparent and accountable. I do recognize that media has a way of going after all public figures and I guess it makes them a target for all their dirty laundry to be aired but personally I do not find any great satisfaction in trying to assess his personal life character based on hearing a 5 second clip on his value as a father. This segment aired on Question Period if you have time to watch. By the way - I also do not buy into the belief that we all need to drive an old rusted out vehicle because we are Aboriginal. If he is the one buying the Porsche why would we care? I do not think we expect to see our leaders driviong thier red river cart around Ottawa.

Brazeau dismisses 'personal attacks'

http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20090208/senator_brazeau_090208/20090208?hub=TopStories

Embattled Conservative Senator Patrick Brazeau defended himself against allegations of corruption and sexual harassment Sunday, saying the personal attacks are the byproduct of his ongoing fight against what he called the "native establishment."

08/02/2009 1:02:07 PM

CTV.ca News Staff

During an interview on CTV's Question Period, Brazeau answered questions about allegations of sexual harassment and misuse of public funds during his time as leader of the Congress of Aboriginal Peoples.

Brazeau said that while he would not speculate on "who may or may not be after me," he did say the attacks on his character signal a backlash against his willingness to challenge how native leaders are dealing with the plight of Canada's aboriginal peoples.

"Many times when you attack the native establishment and you demand for more accountability, obviously I have not made many friends," Brazeau said. "And so I have always been open, transparent and always invited people to criticize my policies. Unfortunately, it's more in the realm of personal attacks now than professional attacks."

During the interview, Brazeau faced a barrage of questions about a series of allegations that critics have leveled against him since his appointment to the Senate late last year.

Brazeau, 34, is one of the youngest senators to ever be appointed to the upper house.

The father of three children has faced criticism for not having a relationship with his 14-year-old son. In Sunday's interview, Brazeau said the matter was "hurtful" and acknowledged that he has not seen his son for eight years.

"But there are reasons beyond my control for that," he said, adding that he has paid child support over those eight years.

When asked about his desire to keep his six-figure salary as head of the Congress of Aboriginal Peoples while getting a six-figure paycheque as a senator, Brazeau said that he had just been re-elected in November for a four-year term with the Congress and had hoped to continue his work with the organization.

He said he consulted with the Senate ethics officer and others before deciding that keeping the job would have led to the appearance of a conflict of interest.

"I have invested a lot of time into that organization and I was looking forward to continuing the hard work I started," Brazeau said. "So whether it would have been a full-time paid position, a half salary or no salary at all, I was looking into that possibility. But the bottom line is I made the personal choice to step down because I foresaw some potential conflict of interest and even perceived conflict of interest."

In addition to the allegations that he was trying to double his salary, it also came to light that a former Congress employee launched a sexual harassment complaint with the Ontario Human Rights Commission.

According to Brazeau, the complaint is against the Congress, not him personally, and the allegations were first dealt with in a third-party investigation.

"There was a full investigation that was conducted by a third party who has expertise in dealing with these issues," Brazeau said. "And the conclusion of the investigation was that there was no wrongdoing on my part and there was no harassment done on my part."

The final report issued by the investigators, who Brazeau did not name, has not been made public. Brazeau said that even he has not read it, but understands it has been sealed to protect the privacy of the complainant.

Office drinking

Brazeau also defended his decision to bring with him to Ottawa two former Congress staffers who co-workers witnessed drinking in his office.

"The two individuals who have come to work for me at the Senate are highly qualified people, people that I certainly trust, and will have a lot to contribute not only to myself but to the Senate and for all Canadians as well," he said.

Brazeau said that one employee had seen the two drinking in his office on one occasion, after office hours, and not long before Christmas.

Following the incident, Brazeau and the Congress's board of directors established a no-alcohol-on-the-premises policy, he said.

On allegations that he and other Congress staffers misappropriated nearly $260,000 in funds, which was discovered during a Health Canada audit, Brazeau countered that the agency was merely asking for supplementary documentation to justify about $200,000 in expenses, which the Congress did.

Health Canada is currently seeking re-payment of about $52,000, Brazeau said, but the Congress is in the process of justifying those expenses, as well.

Brazeau also dismissed critics who complain he should not be driving a Porsche SUV around Ottawa when he represents an impoverished segment of the population.

He said he bought the car second-hand, and before Prime Minister Stephen Harper called him with the offer to sit in the Senate.