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A Canadian senator at the centre of an expenses scandal has sought medical leave as he and two colleagues were set to be suspended without pay.
Senator Mike Duffy said that he would be absent from work due to health concerns.
The Senate has been asked to consider a motion calling for the suspension without pay of Duffy, as well as fellow senators Pamela Wallin and Patrick Brazeau.
The trio, all appointed to the upper house by Conservative Prime Minister Stephen Harper, face a criminal probe after an audit revealed "troubling" expenses claims.
All three have been stripped of political resources but that was not enough for the public, and the Conservatives' popularity is now at a record low, polls show.
Canadian senators serve until retirement at 75 and cannot be sacked unless they are convicted of a crime or fail to attend. They can, however, resign, but Duffy, Brazeau and Wallin have refused to do so.
Duffy is also being investigated for having accepted a C$90,000 (HK$677,000) cheque from Harper's chief of staff to help repay funds he had wrongly claimed as expenses.
Harper's right-hand man, Nigel Wright, resigned in May after revealing the payment.
The opposition on Thursday accused Harper of having misled the lower house of parliament when he told legislator that he knew nothing about the transaction.
In a statement, Duffy said he had been in hospital for three days in August for "unstable angina" and an examination this week indicated the disease may have progressed. Duffy had heart surgery in 2006.
Brazeau also faces criminal charges for alleged domestic violence and sexual assault.
Senators would vote on the suspensions on Tuesday, an official said.


Canadian senator in expenses row asks to take medical leave

Duffy is absent from work due to health concerns. Photo: SCMP Pictures

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