QUESTION PERIOD — Finance
Government Spending
December 8, 2022
Senator Gold, researchers and journalists yesterday appeared before the House Access to Information, Privacy and Ethics Committee to explain they are abandoning access-to-information tools because answers from government are coming too late to be relevant or not at all. The government blames the pandemic, staffing shortages and outdated technology, but excuses aside, it is unacceptable that the public cannot get relevant and timely information about government spending.
Just this week, the Auditor General stated that $4.6 billion in COVID overpayments to ineligible recipients and another $27.4 billion in questionable handouts should and must be further investigated.
The government’s lack of transparency is alarming. Senator Gold, when will citizens and taxpayers once again be able to have timely access to information about how government spends their money, specifically the $27.4 billion?
Thank you for your question.
With regard to the challenges facing citizens and organizations seeking information, as I’ve said on many occasions in this chamber, the bottlenecks and delays are serious matters and the government is doing everything it can in an attempt to put into place the human resources, which remains a big challenge — recruitment and retention — and other measures to address the backlog.
Regarding the question surrounding the monies that are under investigation regarding the payments of CERB, that is a matter that the CRA is dealing with appropriately and prudently, as has been announced and recorded briefly. I have every confidence they will continue to do the work in an appropriate, rigorous and responsible fashion.
Your government has said “no” to a credible and independent inquiry into pandemic spending and management. As you told us in this chamber this week, the government will conduct its own inquiry into itself.
We actually need an arm’s-length transparent assessment of the true cost of vaccines, supplies and the billions of dollars spent. Will you reconsider this absurd approach of passing judgment on yourself and have an independent inquiry?
Senator Wallin, as I said in this chamber, the government is considering how to best address the important question of learning the lessons from the pandemic. With all due respect, I think you are making assumptions that are not warranted in terms of what the government’s deliberations are.
I have every confidence that when the details are announced, they will be an appropriate response to the important need for us to learn the lessons and take account of what we did well — and we did many things well during the pandemic — and what we could do better the next time we are faced with a similar crisis.
