Wednesdays with @Kady replay: Rae's out early, MPs vote late

There's always plenty to chat about with Kady O'Malley.

On Wednesdays, CBCNews.ca's Politics blogger convenes a "people's caucus" to discuss and debate the issues of the week, so far.

Up today:

Bob Rae shocks supporters and foes alike by bailing on the 2013 Liberal leadership race
Auditor General Michael Ferguson's office tables its long-awaited audit of how Parliament spends its budget
MPs brace themselves to pull an expected all-nighter, voting on a torrent of budget bill amendments

Replay this week's live chat:

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Power & Politics Ballot Box question by Evan Solomon May. 21, 2013 4:55 PM Are you satisfied with the Prime Minister's handling of the Senate scandal?

Senate debates expense audits amid greater scrutiny: The expenses scandal is dominating the first Senate session since the audits on senators Mike Duffy, Mac Harb and Patrick Brazeau were released and it was revealed Duffy's questionable expenses were repaid by a personal cheque from the prime minister's chief of staff. Follow our live blog. more »

Kids from levelled Oklahoma schools recount deadly tornado: Children from two Oklahoma schools levelled Monday by the most powerful type of tornado are recounting what it was like to survive the deadly twister, while rescuers near the end of their search for any other remaining survivors or bodies. more »
Deadly Oklahoma tornado confirmed as most powerful type: Emergency workers neared the end of their search Tuesday afternoon for survivors in Moore, Okla., following a deadly tornado that weather officials said was now classified among the most powerful type of twister. more »
Only 1 set of human remains found at Millard farm, police say: Hamilton police have confirmed that they are dealing with only a single set of human remains at the Waterloo region farm of Dellen Millard. more »
Rob Ford faces more calls to address crack allegations: Toronto Mayor Rob Ford went back to work after a holiday weekend, but he kept his mouth shut about an alleged video that two published reports say shows him smoking what appears to be a crack pipe. more »

Senate debates expense audits amid greater scrutiny: The expenses scandal is dominating the first Senate session since the audits on senators Mike Duffy, Mac Harb and Patrick Brazeau were released and it was revealed Duffy's questionable expenses were repaid by a personal cheque from the prime minister's chief of staff. Follow our live blog. more »

'Very upset' Harper wants fast Senate spending reform: Prime Minister Stephen Harper told the Conservative caucus this morning that he's "very upset" about the recent conduct of some senators and his own office, and he wants Senate spending rules tightened quickly. more »
PM's South America trip turns focus from turmoil to trade: Prime Minister Stephen Harper left today for South America for four days of bilateral talks and trade meetings, after addressing his caucus over the growing Senate expense controversy. more »
Maine city wants U.S. review before oilsands oil flows: The city of Portland, Maine, passed a resolution Monday night calling on the U.S. government to conduct an environmental review of Portland-to-Montreal pipeline before it is allowed to reverse its flow and potentially bring oilsands oil to a terminal on the Atlantic coast. more »
Deal to protect boreal forest caribou fails: Three years of negotiations between Resolute Forest Products and environmental groups aimed at protecting parts of Canada's boreal forest have ended in failure, with talks breaking down over how much land to set aside for conservation. more »

Questions mount for Harper and chief of staff Nigel Wright in Senate scandal May. 18, 2013 1:15 PM This week on The House, with Senators Wallin and Duffy now out of the Conservative caucus, we get reaction from NDP Ethics critic Charlie Angus. We also hear directly from Senator Patrick Brazeau who says the Conservatives have thrown him under the bus. Plus we speak with B.C. Premier Christy Clark after her stunning victory.