Senator Pierre-Hugues Boisvenu is pictured in Ottawa in this September 20, 2012 file photo. (ANDRE FORGET/QMI Agency Files)

MONTREAL — The Senate will investigate the personal relationship between Quebec Conservative Sen. Pierre-Hugues Boisvenu and his parliamentary assistant, QMI Agency has learned.

A Senate committee on internal economy, which met in a closed-door session Thursday morning, will look into the allegations that Boisvenu broke parliamentary rules.

It is against government regulation for a senator to hire a family member or a partner. Boisvenu refuses to comment publicly about Isabelle Lapointe and was absent from meetings he was scheduled to attend on Wednesday and Thursday.

Two senators, Jean-Guy Dagenais and Jacques Demers, told QMI Agency that Lapointe no longer works for Boisvenu.

However, Sen. Claude Carignan said only the personal relationship between Boisvenu and Lapointe is over.

Several sources told QMI that Lapointe will be soon moved to another senator's office.

Demers told QMI that Boisvenu explained the relationship to the Conservative caucus on Wednesday morning.

"We felt that it was difficult," Demers said. "After he spoke to us, he felt that we supported him and until further notice, that's what we are going to do."

Carignan, who is the deputy leader of the government in the Senate, said "the case is closed."

He said Boisvenu and Lapointe were not partners when she was hired.

Diane Carlos first alerted the government of the alleged relationship between Boisvenu and Lapointe. Carlos is named as Boisvenu's wife on the Canadian Senate website as well as on Boisvenu's personal website.

Prime Minister Stephen Harper appointed Boisvenu to the Senate in 2010.