Alberta health gravy train
NO RESPECT FOR ALBERTA TAXPAYERS
Alberta Minister of Finance Doug Horner speaks to the media
Credits: DAVID BLOOM/QMI AGENCY
EDMONTON — While the government touts transparency and accountability, critics charge the Alberta government's current system for posting expenditures online is the opposite of transparent.
Scott Hennig, the Alberta director for the Canadian Taxpayers Federation, said the province's lax documentation makes it impossible to tell who entertained who, what they consumed, and why they met at all.
"I find it insulting to even say this is expenses posting -- it's not. It's not even remotely close," Hennig said.
In June, for example, Alberta's energy ministry posted $5,000 for goods, supplies and services.
"That's posting global office budget figures -- that's not posting your expenses," Hennig said.
"Alberta is well behind other jurisdictions in this."
Wildrose Leader Danielle Smith said greater detail is needed in online expense accounting.
"We need a new policy to have detailed expenses, and we need to define who needs to be recording expenses at such a detailed level," she said.
The public is scratching their heads over the premier's $84,000-mission to the London Olympics, Smith said.
"We'll have no greater clarity when she gets back and posts expenses, because it will all be lump amounts," Smith said.
That's just the tip of the iceberg.
In March 2005, now-ousted Alberta Health Services financial boss Allaudin Merali expensed $220 for a single meal with Fred Horne, then a health care consultant for the province. Now the Minister of Health, Horne can't recall the occasion -- and there is no explanation on Merali's expense detail.
With 30,000 public servants -- and another 90,000 in Alberta Health Service -- concerns about senior management and elected officials "who appear to have free license to spend money without oversight," aren't to be ignored, Smith said.
"The public confidence has been shattered because of the Merlani scandal," Smith said.
"People want to see what the expenses are, and Ms. Redford would do well to heed public outcry," she said, adding that increased scrutiny should have a deterrent effect on those who might throw taxpayer money around.
Hennig said the federal government has cracked down on individual expense accounting, who incurred what, how many people were at meetings where.
"You still have to FOIP the receipt, but it's head and shoulders above what we've got in Alberta," Hennig said.
The City of Toronto is the gold standard for expense disclosure for politicians on city council, Hennig said.
"The receipts are scanned, you can see exactly what the purchase was, the day, the location, who was a part of it," he said.
Even within Alberta, the auditor general's office lists their expenses with a quarterly spreadsheet, (as does Jill Clayton, the information privacy commissioner.)
Auditor general Merwan Saher said he has been asked to review the current Alberta Health Service expense accounting procedures.
"Once done, we will make that public," he said.
Scott Hennig, the Alberta director for the Canadian Taxpayers Federation, said the province's lax documentation makes it impossible to tell who entertained who, what they consumed, and why they met at all.
"I find it insulting to even say this is expenses posting -- it's not. It's not even remotely close," Hennig said.
In June, for example, Alberta's energy ministry posted $5,000 for goods, supplies and services.
"That's posting global office budget figures -- that's not posting your expenses," Hennig said.
"Alberta is well behind other jurisdictions in this."
Wildrose Leader Danielle Smith said greater detail is needed in online expense accounting.
"We need a new policy to have detailed expenses, and we need to define who needs to be recording expenses at such a detailed level," she said.
The public is scratching their heads over the premier's $84,000-mission to the London Olympics, Smith said.
"We'll have no greater clarity when she gets back and posts expenses, because it will all be lump amounts," Smith said.
That's just the tip of the iceberg.
In March 2005, now-ousted Alberta Health Services financial boss Allaudin Merali expensed $220 for a single meal with Fred Horne, then a health care consultant for the province. Now the Minister of Health, Horne can't recall the occasion -- and there is no explanation on Merali's expense detail.
With 30,000 public servants -- and another 90,000 in Alberta Health Service -- concerns about senior management and elected officials "who appear to have free license to spend money without oversight," aren't to be ignored, Smith said.
"The public confidence has been shattered because of the Merlani scandal," Smith said.
"People want to see what the expenses are, and Ms. Redford would do well to heed public outcry," she said, adding that increased scrutiny should have a deterrent effect on those who might throw taxpayer money around.
Hennig said the federal government has cracked down on individual expense accounting, who incurred what, how many people were at meetings where.
"You still have to FOIP the receipt, but it's head and shoulders above what we've got in Alberta," Hennig said.
The City of Toronto is the gold standard for expense disclosure for politicians on city council, Hennig said.
"The receipts are scanned, you can see exactly what the purchase was, the day, the location, who was a part of it," he said.
Even within Alberta, the auditor general's office lists their expenses with a quarterly spreadsheet, (as does Jill Clayton, the information privacy commissioner.)
Auditor general Merwan Saher said he has been asked to review the current Alberta Health Service expense accounting procedures.
"Once done, we will make that public," he said.
