High court won’t hear NDP expenses case over mailings, offices

OTTAWA — The federal NDP may have lost its final legal bid for judicial review of decisions by the House of Commons management body that left the party on the hook for as much as $2.7 million.

The Supreme Court of Canada declined today to hear an appeal from New Democrats over the decisions by the Board of Internal Economy.

A series of rulings from the board, which oversees financial and administrative matters respecting MPs, found NDP members liable for inappropriate mailings and misuse of parliamentary funds for expenses related to employment, telecommunications and travel.

In 2017, the Federal Court of Canada ruled that New Democrats could seek review of the rulings in court.

However, the Federal Court of Appeal overturned that decision in February, prompting New Democrats to take their case to the Supreme Court.

The high court, following its usual practice, gave no reason for refusing to hear the case.

The Canadian Press