I just heard former Liberal Party Deputy Leader Anne McLellan tell Mike Duffy on CTV Newsnet that the Auditor General did NOT say that they mislead parliament. She repeated it twice. She was adamant. Mike had asked her about the ugliness of the fact that the Auditor-General had said that.
Here’s my transcript made from my recording:
Mike Duffy: The AG says there was a “conspiracy” afoot during the days when the Liberals were in power, to hide the true cost of the gun registry from Parliament.
Liberal Anne McLellan: You know Mike I find that astounding because that’s is not what her report says. What her report says is that in fact there was a disagreement —and she’s got a very clear view which she’s entitled to—in relation to $21 million …whether that should have been reported in 02-03 or in 03-04 but it’s absolutely plain—and the report indicates—that there was no misrepresentation of the total costs ….
Mike Duffy: No it was just put as an “outstanding liability” without [ …she tries to interrupt… ] without being really pointed back as to what it was about….
And a few seconds later, this bit:
Mike Duffy: But in here they talk about ‘deliberately mislead Parliament’ [he seems to be pointing right at the AG’s report as he speaks to her].
Liberal Anne McLellan: No! In fact I don’t find that ANYWHERE in this report…
Mike Duffy: Well that’s what she said…
But here’s the report right here, and where the Auditor-general said it:
Contrary to government accounting policy, the Department of Justice failed to record an expenditure estimated at up to $39 million incurred in 2002–03 by the Canada Firearms Centre (then part of the Department). It is our opinion that in the Public Accounts of Canada, Parliament was misinformed about the Centre’s costs for that year. The Centre’s actual spending was up to $17.1 million more than the $100 million cited by the Minister of Justice in the House of Commons as the limit on the Centre’s 2002–03 spending.
Oh and right here:
[…] Had the Centre correctly recorded all CFIS II costs incurred in 2003–04, it would have exceeded its voted appropriation that year unless it had been granted Supplementary Estimates. In our opinion, Parliament was misinformed about the costs the Centre had incurred and, as a result, Parliament’s control of government spending was improperly limited.
Oops and yeah this here:
[…] 59. In our opinion, the Department of Justice failed to record CFIS II development costs incurred in 2002–03 as required by the Payables at Year-End (PAYE) policy. While its total spending would have remained within its voted appropriation, had the Department recorded the CFIS II costs in accordance with the PAYE policy, the Canada Firearms Centre’s actual spending would have exceeded (by up to $17.1 million) the spending limit set by the Minister. In our opinion, Parliament was misinformed about the costs the Centre incurred for CFIS II that year.
Oh and annoyingly here too:
[…] 61. Had the Centre correctly recorded all CFIS II costs incurred in 2003–04, it would have exceeded its voted appropriation that year unless it had been granted Supplementary Estimates. In our opinion, Parliament was misinformed about the costs the Centre had incurred and, as a result, Parliament’s control of government spending was improperly limited.
Gosh I guess Mrs. McLellan needs new spectacles, or she still hasn’t heeded the advice of the good Auditor-General. She has yet to decide to come perfectly clean with Canadians and to stop obfuscating and perhaps even lying and hiding the truth (which impolite people call covering up their corruption in a banana republic-like way).
Why do we pay for these dumb “Auditor-Generals” and these stupid “reports”?
I’m still astounded that the interviewer, Mike Duffy, let her get away with it. But it’s his show. And his country.
PTBC was founded by Mr. Johannesen in 2000.
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