N.S. premier withdrawing changes that would have allowed auditor general to be fired without cause

Nova Scotia Premier Tim Houston is backing down on proposed changes to the Auditor General Act that critics — including the auditor general herself — said would weaken the independence of the office.

Houston told the legislature on Monday that he will withdraw the first seven clauses of Bill 1, omnibus legislation that makes a number of changes to government entities.

The first several clauses pertained to the Auditor General Act and would have given the government the ability to fire the auditor general without cause if it had two-thirds support from the House and give cabinet ministers the power to make reports or parts of reports from the office private. The Progressive Conservatives hold 43 of the 55 seats in the House.

"After discussions with the Nova Scotia auditor general and her team, I am no longer supporting the proposed amendments," Houston said in a statement.

He declined an interview request at Province House, saying he had to get to a meeting.

In his statement, Houston said the original proposed changes were the result of a scan looking to "modernize the office by looking at best practices around Canada."

Only Manitoba and Alberta have provisions that allow the auditor general to be fired without cause if there is two-thirds support from members of the legislature.

"There was never any intention on my part to change the existing auditor general," Houston said in his statement.

Opposition reaction

Opposition leaders welcomed the change of course by the premier and said they will support it, but they criticized him for briefly speaking to it in the House without going into any kind of detail or providing the amendments in advance before reading them aloud.

They speculated the shift in position by the premier was the result of intense public criticism and pressure he and his MLAs were facing.

"People are very upset about Bill 1," said NDP Leader Claudia Chender.

"Bill 1 should be amended."

Interim Liberal Leader Derek Mombourquette said he isn't surprised by the change and it was the right move to make.

"I figured based on the public pressure and based on, really, the nonsense of the debate around what the government was trying to present he caved to the public pressure," said Mombourquette.

AG responds

Auditor General Kim Adair issued a statement saying that she appreciated the premier's plans to withdraw the changes to the Auditor General Act.

"We're thankful that we had the opportunity to sit down with the premier and his team for a very productive exchange this afternoon," she said.

Adair said she's been overwhelmed by "the groundswell of support" for the work of her office since Bill 1 was tabled last week.

Houston noted in his statement that his government increased funding for Adair's office in the budget tabled last week by Finance Minister John Lohr.

"I have nothing but respect for the auditor general and look forward to continuing our working relationship," he said in his statement.

Other changes remain in legislation

Other changes that remain in Bill 1 include giving the government the power to fire non-unionized bureaucrats without cause and making official the dissolution of Communications Nova Scotia, the government communications arm that was required by legislation to be non-partisan.

Bill 1 also gives the heads of government departments and other agencies the ability to refuse freedom of information requests if they determine that they are frivolous, vexatious or not specific enough.

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