Canada’s Worst Government Body: Board of Internal Economy

By Obert Madondo | The Canadian Progressive, June 29, 2012:

The governing body of the House of Commons continues to fail Canadians on the important questions of transparency and oversight.  In his recent report, Michael Ferguson, the Auditor General of Canada, called for more transparency.

But board  has “further limited public transparency over its secret meetings and decisions.” It meets in camera. Parliamentary code phrase for “secret”.

The Board of Internal Economy “makes decisions and provides direction on financial and administrative policies of the House.” It’s responsible for ”establishing by-laws, policies and guidelines relating to expenditures and resources provided to Members in order to carry out their parliamentary functions.” That includes MPs’ travel perks.

The current budget is $446-million.

The Board retains exclusive authority to determine whether expenditures are proper and in accordance with the established by-laws, policies and guidelines. Ferguson’s audit “found weaknesses in contracting practices: 41 of 59 items tested did not meet all the requirements of the Administration’s own procurement policy and procedures. This ranged from missing documents, to unsigned contracts, to a contract awarded to a bidder that did not meet one of the mandatory requirements.”

I couldn’t find the Board’s its latest report of MPs’ expenses. But this one, from April 1, 2010 to March 31, 2011, is an eye-opener. The second biggest expenditure item is something called ten percenters. Folks, we were charged a whopping $10,182,707.71 for the printing of partisan gabbage.

But don’t blame just Harper and the Conservatives this time. The Board’s is independent from the Harper regime. Sort of. It’s inscrutable authority is enshrined in the Parliament of Canada Act. Most importantly, the opposition is part of this undemocratic mess.