OTTAWA—Conservative Senator Pamela Wallin has temporarily resigned from two high-profile committees for personal reasons.

Wallin is no longer listed as a member of the Senate committee on national security and defence, which she has chaired since 2010, or of the Senate committee on foreign affairs and international trade.

A Conservative source in the Senate said Wallin asked Senator Marjory LeBreton, government leader in the Senate, last week to be temporarily relieved of her committee duties for personal reasons.

Three sources said it was due to family illness, but Wallin’s office would not comment on the matter Tuesday beyond confirming she would be absent for personal reasons.

It remains unclear when she plans to return.

Wallin had her travel expense claims — totalling more than $375,000 from Sept. 1, 2010 to Feb. 28 this year — reviewed by external auditors.

During that period, Wallin claimed $30,238 in expenses for “regular” travel between Ottawa and Saskatchewan, the province she represents in the Senate, while billing $321,842 for “other” travel to other parts of Canada and around the world.

Wallin has said only direct flights between Ottawa and Saskatchewan are counted as regular travel, so if she flies to Saskatchewan from elsewhere, including Toronto, where she owns a condo, it distorts the numbers.

LeBreton and Liberal Senate Leader James Cowan have committed to making the results of that audit public, in addition to the results of audits into the secondary residence expense claims of Conservative Senator Mike Duffy, Liberal Senator Mac Harb and Senator Patrick Brazeau, who was forced on a leave of absence while he faces criminal charges.

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