MLA expenses: fixing the system’s flaws
Posted Feb 4, 2010 06:09:46 AM.
This article is more than 5 years old.
The legislature now has the tough task of regaining the public’s trust, after the Auditor General’s scathing report on MLA expenses.
Members also need to fix the broken system that’s being blamed for the excessive spending.
“The system enables misuse,” said Auditor General Jacques Lapointe. But he says a fix to the problem should be easy.
“The process that has led to the creation of these rules (around MLA expenses) has not been transparent,” Lapointe told a legislative committee. “But it’s for the House to decide how they want to proceed with these kinds of issues, and decide how transparent they want to be.”
The Internal Economy Board, which approves all expenses and created the rules for MLA expenses, has taken criticism for meeting in secret.
House Speaker Charlie Parker says they’ll look at opening meetings to the public.
“We’re going to focus on fixing the problem, fixing the system and moving forward to make it as accountable as we possibly can,” Parker told reporters.
The Board will seek reimbursement from MLA’s whose expenses are under question.
