Accountability at stake says AG as she urges Houston government to scrap changes to her office
CBC
Nova Scotia's auditor general is urging the provincial government to withdraw amendments to the law that governs her work, which she claims would seriously erode the ability of her office to continue to do its work.
The amendments proposed in the bill brought forward Tuesday by Premier Tim Houston would give the government veto power over what information Kim Adair could include in her reports. Cabinet could also force any report to remain strictly confidential.
"We have serious concerns that the changes tabled in this bill will erode the independence of this office going forward," Adair told a room full of reporters Thursday. "These changes could mean any report the government doesn't like wouldn't be made public.
"The numerous veto powers could result in fewer public reports."
Adair is sounding the alarm after a meeting with senior government officials on Wednesday to try to better understand the changes and the rationale behind them.
She refused to say who she met with or to discuss what she heard from those officials, but she made her position clear on what needs to happen next.
"I have asked for the ability to consult to determine if we can mutually address government's concerns and while continuing to maintain the independence of the office," said Adair.
The governing Progressive Conservatives are also looking for the right to fire the auditor general "for reasons other than cause or incapacity" if two-thirds of MLAs in the House vote to do that.
Houston's PC Party currently controls more than two-thirds of the votes.
Liberal MLA Iain Rankin echoed Adair's call for the government to scrap the changes, noting there should be independent oversight over the billions of dollars a year the provincial government spends.
He said it would open the door to possible "corruption, misuse of funds and getting value for money."
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