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Thursday, December 12, 2024

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It’s difficult to ‘follow the money’: former MPs, bureaucrats, and PBOs say budget and estimates process makes it tough for Parliament to hold government spending to account

As the government prepares to table its budget in April, individual MPs and Senators have ‘very little influence’ on spending, says Parliamentary Budget Office Yves Giroux.

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BY IAN CAMPBELL
March 14, 2024

News | BY IAN CAMPBELL | March 14, 2024

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Former Indigenous procurement auditor calls pledge to examine the program ‘hypocritical’ after feds were warned of issues for years

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Former Indigenous procurement auditor calls pledge to examine the program ‘hypocritical’ after feds were warned of issues for years

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Indigenous Services Minister Patty Hajdu says her department is working on a plan to conduct an extensive audit of the government's Indigenous procurement program.

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Hard to see the ‘big picture’: Canada must improve how budget and estimates are presented, say public finance experts

NewsBY IAN CAMPBELL

Former Treasury Board president Scott Brison’s estimates reforms were ‘top-down,’ and MPs need ‘bottom-up’ approach for better spending scrutiny: ex-PBO Kevin Page

NewsBY IAN CAMPBELL

‘The system is broken’: $30.7-billion in spending estimates not reviewed by House committees

NewsBY NEIL MOSS

Government seeks $10.3-billion in extra spending to close out the fiscal year

NewsBY KEVIN PHILIPUPILLAI

More than $41.4-billion in spending goes without Commons committee review

NewsBY NEIL MOSS

Hard to see the ‘big picture’: Canada must improve how budget and estimates are presented, say public finance experts

NewsBY IAN CAMPBELL

Many experts say the budget should be presented before the main estimates, possibly on a fixed annual date. Liberal MP John McKay says MPs must ‘mine for the gold’ in the current system, while Tory MP Stephanie Kusie says the entire process must be ‘completely overhauled.’

Hard to see the ‘big picture’: Canada must improve how budget and estimates are presented, say public finance experts

NewsBY IAN CAMPBELL

Many experts say the budget should be presented before the main estimates, possibly on a fixed annual date. Liberal MP John McKay says MPs must ‘mine for the gold’ in the current system, while Tory MP Stephanie Kusie says the entire process must be ‘completely overhauled.’

Former Treasury Board president Scott Brison’s estimates reforms were ‘top-down,’ and MPs need ‘bottom-up’ approach for better spending scrutiny: ex-PBO Kevin Page

NewsBY IAN CAMPBELL

MPs are supposed to scrutinize more than $400-billion in government spending this year, but often they don't have a clue what they're doing. Experts say the spending estimates cycle needs to change so MPs can get a better handle on public funds.

Former Treasury Board president Scott Brison’s estimates reforms were ‘top-down,’ and MPs need ‘bottom-up’ approach for better spending scrutiny: ex-PBO Kevin Page

NewsBY IAN CAMPBELL

MPs are supposed to scrutinize more than $400-billion in government spending this year, but often they don't have a clue what they're doing. Experts say the spending estimates cycle needs to change so MPs can get a better handle on public funds.

‘The system is broken’: $30.7-billion in spending estimates not reviewed by House committees

NewsBY NEIL MOSS

The House Committee on Industry and Technology didn't review $12.5-billion in spending estimates and hasn't performed a review of main estimates since the last Parliament.

‘The system is broken’: $30.7-billion in spending estimates not reviewed by House committees

NewsBY NEIL MOSS

The House Committee on Industry and Technology didn't review $12.5-billion in spending estimates and hasn't performed a review of main estimates since the last Parliament.

Government seeks $10.3-billion in extra spending to close out the fiscal year

NewsBY KEVIN PHILIPUPILLAI

If approved before March 31, the government's final spending update for 2022-23 would bring total budgetary spending for the year to $443.3-billion, a 7.1 per cent increase over the previous year.

Government seeks $10.3-billion in extra spending to close out the fiscal year

NewsBY KEVIN PHILIPUPILLAI

If approved before March 31, the government's final spending update for 2022-23 would bring total budgetary spending for the year to $443.3-billion, a 7.1 per cent increase over the previous year.