Government Rushing Through Budget Bill: Fedeli
May 15, 2017Queen’s Park– “My question is for the Premier.Just before noon today, the government will call for a vote on the budget bill, even though most of the members on our side haven’t spoken to this bill yet. In fact, only three of us have given a speech on it.
If this bill passes, it will be sent to committee at 1:00 today. There will be less than one hour notice to the public, to scramble here to Queen’s Park and make a presentation on this budget. They can’t come tomorrow, Speaker; it’s all over at 7:00 tonight. That’s what this government calls being open and transparent: one hour notice, in and out in the same day.”
“I ask the Premier why is this debate about your budget 24 days shorter than normal budgets?” asked Fedeli
“Back to the Premier:
The government doesn’t want the people of Ontario to have a chance to discuss this budget. This fits right in with what the Financial Accountability Officer said. He told us there’s a “broader pattern” of secrecy and it’s all because of political direction. He went so far as to say, “It is highly disappointing that instead of looking to maximize the information” provided, “the government is focusing on how it can restrict disclosure of information.” He finishes with, “[T]hey are impeding the ability of MPPs to perform their constitutional duties of holding the government to account.”
“I ask the Premier, why the rush? Why don’t you want us to see what’s in this budget? What are you hiding?” Fedeli concluded
Video: https://youtu.be/fg42KQzME8I