Dear Editor
Would you take on a job that might kill your career? Kevin Page did when he accepted the position of legislative budget officer in the newly created Parliamentary Budget Office. He and other courageous civil servants committed to holding our government accountable. The PBO did this admirably for five years. It was the PBO that estimated an F-35 jet would be $128 million not $75 million and that the tough-on-crime bill would cost $5 billion not $2 billion.
As legislative budget officer, Page was too effective. The Harper government is not renewing Page's term, has appointed an interim officer with no budget analysis experience, and is keeping the process of selecting a new officer secret.
Page writes, "One year after the 2012 federal budget, which launched a significant fiscal austerity exercise, parliamentarians still do not have departmental plans to show how restraint will be implemented and service levels managed. Notwithstanding, they are asked to vote on departmental authorities to spend your money. Parliamentarians almost never see financial-decision support analysis prepared by public servants. This was true on the tough-on-crime legislation, new military procurement as well as changes to the Canada Health Transfer and to Old Age Security." (http://tinyurl.com/cxrafrs)
A healthy democracy needs informed debate. Page's PBO provided all Members of Parliament access to accurate financial analysis so they could debate priorities and policy directions. Contact your MP asking that Page be reinstated or that the government strengthen the PBO and open the process of selecting its officer.
Nancy Carswell?
Shellbrook
