On Monday, Page made public an 11-page legal opinion that said the government was breaking the law by not handing over the information.
The law says the parliamentary budget officer, Canada’s independent budget watchdog, is to have “free and timely access to financial or economic data.”
But so far, the government has refused to release the details of how budget cuts will reshape the bureaucracy.
Treasury Board president Tony Clement said this week he believes the government is not breaking the law. But the government hasn’t provided a legal opinion that justifies why they are not required to give Page the documents.
The Chronicle Herald again requested that justification Thursday, or at least an indication that one would be released in the future.
A Treasury Board staffer responded with a reference to an unrelated scuffle three years ago between Page and the Library of Parliament.
The Chronicle Herald sought an explanation on how this related to the current dispute but received no response by deadline.
In an interview Thursday, Page said he’s willing to wait through the summer in the hopes the government will change its mind and release the full budget cut plan in the fall.
He is reluctant to go to court because of how long it might take.
“I don’t think anybody wins in judicial court,” Page said. “It would be an indication we didn’t get the information on time to help parliamentarians. I think parliamentarians and Canadians would be the losers in that case.”
But even if it is too late, Page said he’s still willing to go to court to fight for his access.
Under the government’s plan, the full impact of the budget cuts might not be known until well into 2013.
“That’s clearly not acceptable,” Page said. “This is just too dangerous <ellipsis> a precedent to let go by.”
The government normally outlines its plans for the upcoming year in a document called the Report on Plans and Priorities. But this year, the report was based on early data and did not outline what impact the $5.2 billion in cuts announced in the 2012 budget would have on the civil service.
Page went to each government department directly, asking them what the impact would be, but so far 64 departments have refused to answer.
Clement has repeatedly said the government is holding back details of the cuts until all affected employees have been notified. Even after unions called for the release of the information, Clement said doing so would override collective agreements.
It’s not clear which contracts the government is referring to.
Information on cuts to the civil service made in 2004 and the mid-1990s were available in advance.
Clement has said the government will provide details on the cuts through quarterly reports and supplementary estimates, which are released after fiscal year-end.
Page argues it is a breach of the Westminster system to ask MPs to vote on a budget without telling them the details of what they are voting on.
In 2008, the Conservatives tried to cut Page’s budget and only backed down after a public uproar. It appears Page will not have to fight that battle again this year.
Page reports to the Library of Parliament and officials there have told him to expect his office’s budget to be frozen at $2.8 million.
Original Article
Source: the chronicle herald
Author: PAUL McLEOD
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