Conservatives reject transparency

Last week, on the same day the Conservatives tabled another monster omnibus budget bill, they also refused to act on key recommendations needed to strengthen Parliamentary scrutiny of government budgets and spending.

“It’s appalling. Following months conferring with experts on parliamentary processes, the all party Standing Committee on Government Operations and Estimates reached consensus on meaningful reforms to enable Parliamentarians to properly scrutinize government spending, and the PMO simply said ‘no’,” said NDP Public Works and Government Services critic Linda Duncan (Edmonton-Strathcona). “By roundly rejecting many of the most critical recommended reforms the government sent a clear signal it has abandoned its promise of open and transparent government.”

Among the recommendations, the unanimous call for a review of the mandate and functions of the Parliamentary Budget Officer, was flatly rejected.

"The committee sought to make the budget process clear and understandable,” said Deputy Public Works critic Denis Blanchette (Louis-Hebert). “The government has rejected our call."