MLA expenses: Openness welcome

MLA expenses: Openness welcome


Mon. Aug 17 - 4:47 AM

NOVA SCOTIA MLAs should have to provide receipts for all reimbursable expenses.

Period.

There simply isn’t any justifiable reason why provincial politicians should be given $1,000 a month, to cite one current practice, when there’s no way to verify if the funds are being spent on legitimate public purposes.

Defeated MLAs in Nova Scotia also get $45,000, no receipts required, to wrap up their constituency offices.

As NDP Deputy Premier Frank Corbett put it succinctly last week, "when there’s no receipt, there’s a chance for misuse."

So we heartily applaud the NDP government’s intention, as laid out by Mr. Corbett, to reform all expense claim accounting procedures for MLAs.

The deputy premier said the government intends to make recommendations to the legislature on the issue this fall, likely around the same time the province’s auditor general issues his own report on MLA expenses.

Scott Hennig, a spokesman for the Canadian Taxpayers Federation, says it is "very unusual" for provincial politicians to have significant expense accounts for which they do not have to provide receipts.

Earlier this year, a scandal over the misuse of MPs’ expense claims erupted in Britain, resulting in resignations of half a dozen cabinet ministers and reimbursement to the public purse of about $900,000.

We’re not suggesting there’s a similar problem here. The point is, however, that without records of receipts, it’s impossible to know.

Public cynicism about politicians is already well entrenched. A system that puts thousands of dollars of taxpayers’ money into politicians’ hands every year, to spend without a speck of scrutiny, only deepens that public distrust.

Given that, it was also welcome to hear Mr. Corbett say the NDP government wants the legislature’s internal economy board, the committee of MLAs who meet in private to approve increases in various politicians’ expenses, to become "more open and transparent."

Overall, Mr. Corbett said, the government wants to look for "efficiencies" and "savings."

The NDP can certainly show the party is serious about changing the way politics is practised here in Nova Scotia by significantly tightening up MLA expense accounts.

The public will no doubt be supportive.

As of yet, of course, it’s too early to know just how far, or deep, such changes could — or will — go, if and when implemented.

Nova Scotians will certainly be watching closely to see if the new majority NDP government turns good intentions into concrete reforms.

( edits@herald.ca)





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Malachy wrote:
Oh I'm sure we'll see some changes from the NDP (well, not a name change...)but they will be small changes and enough to show the press and public that they "at least did something". Pittance really to what could - nay, should - be done. If the public truly knew how much money politicians wasted and how taxpayer dollars are really spent, when so many people go without and are barely able to feed, house and clothe themselves, there would be rioting in front of province house. Maybe that's what the city needs - a good, anarchy-like riot to slap the politicos across the back of the head. Or maybe its the people that need the slap to wake them up.

MarkyMark wrote:
I agree 100% with this editorial.

Although I do not suspect the majority of our elected representatives of taking advantage of the lax financial reporting rules, the potential for abuse is there.

Creating unambiguous transparency is an important part of the democratic process and the Dexter Government is to be commended for taking this next logical step.

The editorial cites the recent spending scandal in the UK parliament but we have one much closer to home in Atlantic Canada with the Newfoundland and Labradador legislative assembly, not to mention the sponsorship scandal in the Canadian parliament, as well as numerous cases of questionable past provincial legislative spending practices across this country.

Democracy 250 was a bust last year with the tomfoolery that went on here in Nova Scotia with the minority government of Rodney MacDonald. Please make a lasting legacy for D-250 and enact reforms such as this one to make this province the shining example of open transparent government - at the provincial and municipal levels.

Another beef of mine is all the in-camera sessions that municipal councils have - fix it !!!!!

JABBPR wrote:
Let's also remember that although $1,000 may not be a large sum to them, it's actually more then some incomes out there. Some people raise children on that amount of money. I'm a student and I'm earning hardly more then that a month. They're burning it up on drinks at the Old Triangle!

danby wrote:
Cancer patients often live on less than $1000 per month are expected to pay medicare and drugs so they must do without as well.Yes, they should live within our means and cut non-necessity perks.The money is no longer there to live the good life so people have to get real.

worldly wrote:

While I believe the vast majority of politicians are prudent with their expenses, and I have no issues with the salary and expenses, I do see the lack of accountability for the spending as a real concern. I'm glad to see that's being tackled. In fact, the honest politicians should be in support of any measure that shields them from undue criticism.


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