Support sparse among MLAs for citizen’s watchdog committee
Posted Feb 15, 2010 02:26:46 PM.
This article is more than 5 years old.
A potential Tory leadership candidate’s suggestion to reform the way we keep tabs on MLA’s expenses is not getting a lot of support.
Jamie Baillie is suggesting a citizens’ committee be appointed as a watchdog over how MLAs spend our money.
Baillie, speaking Monday on News 95.7’s Maritime Morning, suggests “Regular citizens of the province, who set the salaries, who set the allowances at rates that they think is reasonable, who review expenses, who can report to all of us.”
Baillie is one of several potential candidates for the Progressive Conservative party leadership. He says it’s obvious the secretive Internal Economy Board hasn’t worked in controlling expenses.
NDP Energy Minister Bill Estabrooks says it could be a good idea, but he’s skeptical considering the source of the suggestion.
“I’m always cautious when a potential candidate for the Conservative party has suddenly got all the answers on the Internal Economy Board,” says Estabrooks.
Interim Tory leader Karen Casey and Liberal leader Stephen McNeil aren’t keen on Baillie’s plan, either. McNeil suggests open meetings of the Internal Economy Board and posting MLAs expenses online.
Meanwhile former legislature speaker Art Donahue is now preparing recommendations for the government on changes to how expenses are handled.
