The Parliamentary Budget Office, source of two reports this year that have been critical of the government, is about to have its annual operating budget slashed by one third, Global National reported Thursday.
This year, the Library of Parliament’s budget, to be allocated by Young, is about $40 million. Of that, just $1.9 million is set aside to operate the Parliamentary Budget Office.
Global National has learned that Page is about to have that annual budget slashed by about 33 per cent.
"If the Harper government is serious about engaging opposition parties in meaningful discussion about the budget, it ought to co-operate fully with the House Budget Officer and not attack his office’s capacity to give Members of Parliament the fiscal information they need to serve Canadians," said Liberal MP Scott Brison.
Now, the article states it is "unclear" if this cut was initiated by the government or his "bureaucratic boss", but it's not unclear to anyone who knows this government's history.
When Page first challenged the government, from a position created by Harper, my first thought was the Conservatives would look for ways to stifle the dissenter, because that's how they operate. The sad part here, Flaherty has just validated Page, his deficit admissions are what Page has argued all along. If a component fellow is getting his wings clipped, what should then become of the disingenious incompetent? What a spiteful bunch, and a move that should alarm all Canadians, because the Conservatives are essentially limiting Page's ability to do his job.
16 comments:
This story needs to get more attention.
I noticed on Duffy that Galloway was down-playing it, 'Canadians don't care, blah, blah, blah'.
I'm happy to see that Brison has spoken out and I hope he and others in the party continue to do so.
The Liberals should jump all of this, because it really says a lot about the nature of this government.
(Lack of) transparency is one of my personal hot buttons. How can you trust someone who's trying to cover up and hide?
I agree with knb, this needs more attention.
And good on Brison.
Harper and his team just never stop, do they?
This does need more attention, lots more.
grrrrrrrrrr
And, the worst part, Harper sold this job as part of his commitment to transparency.
It totally pisses me off that this will fly under the radar of most Canadians. Another thing that might get lost is that Flaherty is constantly being made a fool by Harper. Yesterday Flaherty predicted a 15 billion dollar deficit. Today Harper tells us it will be $30 Billion. Where is there communication between PM and MoF?
Kevin Page, like all Liberal men(?), deserves nothing less than a swift kick in the proverbial nuts, unfortunately these types trough feeders have none.
You know anon, I'm sick to death of cowards like you.
Anyone who is principled and speaks up is not only labelled a Liberal, but the juvenile analogy of not having 'balls' is thrown in as if it's meaningful.
I'll tell you who doesn't have courage. Harper and anyone who bows to his lies. Harper and all those who defend his idiotic, ideological games that are affecting peoples lives. Harper and his juvenile pack of sycophants, on line, in the media and elsewhere, who wouldn't know how to debate a real issue with fact if their life depended on it. That's who is lacking in integrity, grit and principle. That is who has made a bad situation worse.
The sooner we hear more from people like Page, the better off we'll be. The more we encourage Brison, McCallum and Ignatieff to keep pointing out the complete incompetence of those at the helm, the more people will see Harper for what he is...a coward.
anonymous:
You are an idiot.
Mr. Page was appointed by Mr. Harper to a position created by his government.
If you seriously believe that Mr. Harper would appoint a Liberal to that position you really need to be prescribed some heavy duty anti-psychotics.
Really, Mr. Harper should not be trying to cut Mr. Page's budget he should be finding out who in the PMO cut corners on the vetting process for Mr. Page's selection.
Obviously someone dropped the ball on that one.
Maybe he is a Liberal, seems really good with numbers and he's ahead of the Conservatives on Canada's true fiscal state. At the very least, we can say he isn't a Conservative, far too honest and transparent, almost the anti-thesis.
Whoa. That's weird. The original article appears to have changed. It now says,
The Parliamentary Budget Office, source of two reports this year that have been critical of the government, is about to have its annual operating budget frozen, despite promises to boost it by one-third, Canwest News Service has learned.
It's still a crappy deal for the PBO, but that's a hell of a mistake to make - especially for a pro like Akins.
Why do these anony-mouses with no names lurk on clearly Liberal sites? Don't they have their own? Or are they like moths irresistably drawn to the light, in spite of themselves?
Yes kids, remember, its the Conservatives who are about transperancy and the Liberals who cover things up.
Right?
But, but, the Accountability Act...they passed an act with that name. They must be accountble right?
;)
Mike
Some where, some place, surely there are ONE or TWO former Reformers who are incensed. You compare this government's behavior, with the virtous ideals of the Reformers, how can they possibly reconcile? Imagine, coming to grips with the fact you have become your enemy, in fact you are WORSE.
Anyone else getting annoyed at the media speaking for Canadians? Excuse me, they live in that Ottawa circle and don't have a clue what the average Canadian is thinking.
Mike Duffy is forever clarifying to Canadians things he believes Canadians don't know - huh?
Anon: your comments is beyond stupid.
It's the media who don't care - they'd rather have a scandal or something else easy to write about.
Sandi
What I find funny, the way the media accuses the political class of playing games, get all indignant and cynical, meanwhile they treat any discussion of actual issues like it's a novelty. Forever focused on the trivial and the sensational, ignoring the substance because it doesn't make good copy, then having the audacity to point the finger at political parties for highlighting things they know will get noticed. The only reason politicians focus on scandal and superficial missteps, they've learned that's what the media wants, if they talk about policy, it's virtually ignored. But, I digress, they take no responsibility, they have it all figured out, even though they are just as detached as their subject matter.
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