NDP Private Member鈥檚 Bill Would Create Make the Parliamentary Budget Officer an Independent Officer of Parliament
Canadian Taxpayers Federation calls on all MPs to Support Bill C-476
- Bill Will Deliver on 2006 Conservative Party Campaign Promise
OTTAWA, ON: The Canadian Taxpayers Federation (CTF) is calling on MPs from every political party to support the NDP鈥檚 Bill C-476 when it comes up for debate this morning in the House of Commons, to make the Parliamentary Budget Officer (PBO) a completely independent officer of Parliament.
“The CTF has long called on MPs to make the PBO a fully-independent officer of Parliament,鈥 said CTF Federal Director Gregory Thomas. 鈥淭axpayers deserve a truly independent look at the $282.6 billion of spending schedule to flow out of Ottawa this year. The CTF also noted the unusual irony that this NDP bill, in fact, delivers on the Conservative鈥檚 2006 commitment.
鈥淭his legislation from the Leader of the Official Opposition will finally deliver on the Conservative Party鈥檚 2006 campaign promise,鈥 continued Thomas.
The Conservatives were elected in the wake of the Sponsorship Scandal on a promise to pass an Accountability Act that would, in their own words from their official campaign platform:
- Create an independent Parliamentary Budget Authority to provide objective analysis directly to Parliament about the state of the nation鈥檚 finances and trends in the national economy.
- Require government departments and agencies to provide accurate, timely information to the Parliamentary Budget Authority to ensure it has the information it needs to provide accurate analyses to Parliament.
- Ensure that government fiscal forecasts are updated quarterly and that they provide complete data for both revenue and spending forecasts.
鈥淲e call on every MP, especially Conservatives elected in 2006, to stand up for the independence of Canada鈥檚 Parliament, and its sovereign duty to hold the government to account for every single taxpayer鈥檚 dollar it spends,鈥 said Thomas.
Bill C-476 will separate the Parliamentary Budget Officer from the Library of Parliament, giving the PBO the power to hire and fire staff and manage the office鈥檚 own expenditures, within the budget granted by the Parliament. MPs and Senators would each vote on the appointment, and the government would need to consult with all political parties prior to nominating a new PBO. A six month deadline for choosing a replacement at the end of the PBO鈥檚 term would prevent the government from leaving the office vacant, as is the current situation.
The bill would also discourage government stonewalling on requests for financial information, mandating 鈥渇ree and timely access to any data, information, records, explanations and assistance the PBO considers necessary鈥 鈥 the Federal Court could even order the government to hand over the data if the government is improperly withholding it.
鈥淭o hold the line on spending, MPs need the government to open its books to the PBO,鈥 said Thomas. Canadians are fed up with the stalling, stonewalling, grandstanding and game-playing. MPs need to support C-476 and make it law.鈥
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Contact: Gregory Thomas, Federal Director
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