MPs must act on NDP’s transparency motion

Time for MPs to get back to work improving transparency in Ottawa

OTTAWA – It’s time to move forward with making the House of Commons finances more open and transparent, so the NDP is forcing MPs back to work.

The NDP has written to the Chair of the House’s procedure committee asking for MPs to return to Ottawa to study the NDP’s transparency motion.

“Serious study of this issue is long overdue,” said NDP Caucus Chair Peter Julian (Burnaby – New Westminster). “Harper is running away from accountability but the NDP knows that our bosses, the Canadian people, expect MPs to allocate tax payers’ dollars in a diligent and transparent manner.”

On the last day of the previous session, the NDP got all-party agreement to replace the secretive, MP-controlled Board of Internal Economy with a new body, allowing a move to greater openness and finally taking control of whether to disclose expenses out of the hands of Members of Parliament.