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OTTAWA — Embattled Tory parliamentarian Pamela Wallin has skirted questions about whether she has a Saskatchewan driver’s licence or health card after she became the latest in a growing number of senators to find her expense claims and living arrangements under close public scrutiny.

Stephen Harper was forced to defend the Saskatchewan senator yesterday after it was revealed Wallin had billed taxpayers $142,190.26 for trips between March 1, 2011 and Feb. 29, 2012.

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During another barrage of House of Commons questions about Senate conduct, the prime minister claimed the expenses were perfectly reasonable.

“Her travel costs are comparable to any parliamentarian travelling from that particular area of the country over that period of time,” he said.

“Last year, Sen. Wallin spent almost half of her time in the province she represents in the Senate. The costs are obviously to travel to and from that province, as any similar parliamentarian would do.”