Olive Crane says Public Accounts is dysfunctional

Opposition leader Olive Crane is delivering major Legislature speech accusing the government of muzzling the PAC in doing its job.

Speaking the the tabling of the PAC report to the Legislature, she said the PAC was not allowed to do its job.

“Opposition works for people,” said Crane. “The Auditor General works for the people.”

She said they work to make sure the people of PEI are well served by their government.

“In 4 % of the files, the Auditor General found mismanagement ” yet the Public Accounts was not allowed to dig deeper into the issues.

She called for a public inquiry since the PAC is not functioning. The government is not operating with transparency.

“The Public Accounts Committee is just not working and its not good enough for the people of Prince Edward Island.”

Crane leveled special criticism for the PNP administration on Neil Stewart, Brooke MacMillan, the Premier, IIDI and its Board.

The speech is almost 45 minutes and still running. Crane know this topic cold and can definitely put the heat on the government with chapter and verse from Treasury Board guidelines and the Auditor General’s report.

Crane wants new witnesses brought back to the PAC, Heidi Smith of the Federal government who managed the PNP federally. She wants the province to remove partisan politics from public accounts. She wants another 5% of the PNP files audited.

She wants the files reviewed for all MLA’s, the families and business associates. She wants a independent legal opinion on the Province’s liability and access to the firm who did the first opinion. She wants Richard Brown, who promised to return to the PAC, brought back.

She moved a motion to put the matter to committee of the whole, seconded by Jim Bagnall. The speaker is calling for the bell to be rung for a vote. They have 5 minutes to close for the vote.

Contrary – the Liberals are standing against the motion to discuss the PAC report in Committee of the Whole

For – the Conservatives stood for the motion but it was defeated.
We will bring more details later.

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