NSNDP

February 12th, 2019

NDP calls on Speaker to step in on committee changes

HALIFAX-- The NDP Caucus has sent a letter to House Speaker Kevin Murphy calling on him to intercede in the recent changes to Public Accounts Committee. Last week Liberal members of the committee used their majority to cut the number of meetings in half.

“These changes that the McNeil government has forced on the committee structure do very real damage to the Public Accounts Committee’s ability to properly fulfill its mandate,” said NDP House Leader Claudia Chender. “The argument was made by Liberal members that we had to cut the number of meetings because of the cost to televise them and the Health Committee. The Speaker has spoken in support of making meetings more accessible to the public by broadcasting them, he should make sure his Liberal colleagues understand that that cost cannot be the reason they use to limit the work of Public Accounts.”

Last September the government also made changes to the topics PAC would consider, restricting the committee to only reviewing subjects covered by the Auditor General in his reports.

“The Speaker’s role is essential to how the House of Assembly functions. His office controls the budget for the House and it is completely within his jurisdiction to act on this issue,” said Chender.

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p style="margin-left:4.0pt;">The NDP Caucus is asking the Speaker to:

  • commit to fully televising the Health and Public Accounts Committees (PAC);
  • give his full support for the Health committee to continue to meet in the main legislative chamber; and
  • urge his colleagues to reinstate the weekly meeting schedule of PAC.

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