Open and accountable government? Not at all

The BC Liberals promised in their 2001 ‘New Era’ platform to have the most open, accountable and democratic government in Canada.

In the five years that have gone by since the release of that platform, the Liberals have said these words over and over and over.  However, saying the words does not make it true.

Most people would say that open and accountable government comes from public scrutiny; active Opposition in the House, media who ask tough questions and, very importantly, an independent auditor that has appropriate access and adequate resources.

If a government is truly committed to open and accountable government it will show in its behaviour around the appointment of positions such as the Auditor General.

The Auditor General is appointed by the Public Accounts committee for a six year term.  Traditionally, the Clerk’s Office is responsible for compiling a list of suitable candidates for consideration by the committee.  The decision by this bi-partisan committee must be unanimous to ensure that the Auditor General is entirely non-partisan, objective and independent.

In May, Auditor General Wayne Strelioff’s six-year term ended.  It was the expectation of the Opposition members of the Public Accounts committee that the usual procedure for finding his replacement would be followed.

Instead, the Liberal members of the committee used their majority to overrule precedent and hired an executive search firm with apparent ties to the Liberal government to develop a list of candidates.  That is a big problem.

The next step is for the Public Accounts committee to unanimously appoint the next Auditor General.  When a consensus could not be reached again the Liberal members of the committee used their majority to use a loophole that allows an Auditor General to be chosen temporarily by a majority vote.  This is completely contrary to the spirit of the legislation; this provision is to be used only in an emergency situation to bridge a gap between six year terms caused by early resignation or death.

A truly independent Auditor General holds tremendous power.  We only have to look to the previous federal government to see the outcome of the reports of Auditor General Sheila Fraser.  Ms. Fraser’s reports were responsible for full disclosure of the sponsorship scandal, and those reports played a big part in bringing down the federal Liberal government.

It is easy to see why this Liberal government does not want an independent and active Auditor General.

It is easy to see why this Liberal government does not want and independent and active Auditor General.

So, after five years with this Liberal government does BC have the most open and accountable government in Canada?

Clearly the answer is no.

BC needs a housing strategy

Access to affordable housing is a fundamental need of every British Columbian.  Fortunately for many, the market rate for accommodation, either to rent or to purchase, is affordable.  Others were able to purchase their homes during a time when real estate was more affordable.

But what about those British Columbians who cannot afford rising housing costs?  What happens to those families who can not find shelter they can afford?

All the communities in the constituency of Columbia River – Revelstoke are facing challenges around affordable housing.  As our economy turns more and more towards tourism, housing costs tend to rise.  Each of the area’s communities is at a different stage in this adjustment, but each community will face housing challenges to some extent.

The Columbia Valley has undergone tremendous changes and housing prices have skyrocketed leaving many people stretched to afford basic accommodation.  Golden, Kimberley and Revelstoke are following the same path as they each struggle to come to terms with an affordable housing shortage.

Local governments are working hard to develop affordable housing strategies because they understand the societal problems that arise from a lack of housing opportunities.  The spin-off effect of a housing shortage can be very far reaching.  For instance, a community that lacks low-cost housing will ultimately have a shortage of entry level workers.  This causes enormous problems for small business owners who are dependent on these workers to be successful.

Local governments can’t solve the affordable housing shortage on their own.  A real solution will only be found when all levels of government work together.

It is time for the Provincial government to come to the table with a real plan; a housing strategy that ensures British Columbian's access to affordable housing.

Long-standing practice broken

In my last MLA report, I raised concerns about the independence of the newly appointed Auditor General.  The Auditor General is responsible for overseeing and verifying all Provincial affairs and must do so in complete independence.

In the appointment of this Auditor General the Campbell government has broken a long-standing practice that has always assured the complete independence of this vital position.  Auditors General have always been chosen unanimously by both government and Opposition MLA’s.

The new Auditor General was appointed by the Liberals via a loophole that allows a ‘temporary’ appointment without unanimous approval.  NDP MLA’s opposed this choice as the candidate was previously employed by the BC government and could not, therefore, be considered as independent.  This history has now made it impossible for the new Auditor General to act as the independent auditor for this year’s books.

Because this government played fast and loose with the rules, the first act of the new Auditor General was to declare that he was in a conflict of interest.  The responsibility for this year’s audit now must pass to his Deputy.

There is a disturbing pattern emerging: an Auditor General who has been diminished by this government’s improper procedure and underfunding, an effort to limit public scrutiny of public private partnerships, and a habit of over-ruling local decision making.

This is a government that does not want you to see what they are doing; a government that thinks it can hide from scrutiny by fundamentally changing the office that has been set up to ensure government’s accountability.