Pallister shows 'profound betrayal' of transparency by withholding document, NDP says
CBC News | Posted: January 24, 2017 7:47 PM | Last Updated: January 24, 2017
The report would provide insight into what the legislative agenda will look like, NDP says
Manitoba Premier Brian Pallister is refusing to reveal the results of his government's "value for money" audit of government programs despite promising to do so, according to the Opposition NDP.
During its election campaign, the Progressive Conservatives promised to find $50 million in savings through a value-for-money review of government operations and departments.
The review was launched earlier this year and according to NDP MLA James Allum, the report should have been ready about two weeks ago.
"Last June, the Pallister government vowed it would be transparent and promised it would release 97 per cent of the information in the audit of government programs," Allum said during a news conference on Tuesday.
"Manitobans paid for this audit but the premier is now refusing to release any information. We asked for a copy of the report and it was declined."
The NDP submitted a Freedom of Information request for the report but was told "no part of the document would be made public," Allum said.
"This is the breaking of a promise the premier made to the people of Manitoba and a profound betrayal of his commitment to transparency and accountability."
The report would provide insight into what the Conservatives' legislative agenda will look like, what might be coming up in the spring budget, and what might be on the chopping block in terms of services and programs, Allum said.
"The people of Manitoba deserve to see that," he said.
Repeatedly asked by various reporters how long the various government departments should be reasonably expected to take to review the document before it's made public, Allum repeated the same stock answer: "The premier made a commitment and should live up to it.
"He is clearly breaking his promise of transparency and accountability."
Allum added that the audit was done by accounting firm KPMG for $740,000 and by not releasing the report, the government is being hypocritical.
"A government that made itself about value for money needs to make sure a report … is actually worth the paper it's written on," he said.
Manitoba Finance Minister Cameron Friesen said Manitobans will see the report but he wouldn't say exactly when.
"We will make available to the public, exactly as we promised to do, the results of that report — at the right time," he said.
The government is in the lead-up to its budget and "it would be silly to think today's the time to drop that [report] on the desk of our opponents."
Friesen kept repeating that the government is trying to get the province back on track after years of poor fiscal management by the NDP and that the Conservatives are using feedback and advice from the public to set things right.
We will make available to the public, exactly as we promised to do, the results of that report — at the right time. - Finance Minister Cameron Friesen
He noted the government held five public meetings around the province to gather the public's priorities, and online and mailed submissions are also being received. Along with that, the consultant's report will also be used to form the direction for the government for the coming year.
Asked if it would not make sense then for the public to see the report now so it can provide more feedback, Friesen deflected the question.
He kept accusing the NDP of mismanagement and putting Manitoba into a billion-dollar deficit situation. Then he repeated that the Conservatives are working hard at crunching numbers and organizing the information to report "in a coherent way to Manitobans."
Asked when that might be, he said "when the process is complete."
Asked again when people could expect to see something from the report, Friesen said "I suspect that it would be sometime this spring."