KENNEY LIES ABOUT BUDGET REPORTING, BLAMES AUDITOR GENERAL

EDMONTON – Jason Kenney lied to Albertans when he claimed he could not produce his annual financial report on time, due to the impact of COVID-19 on the Auditor General’s office, the Alberta NDP Caucus has learned.

 

During Question Period on June 22, Alberta NDP Leader Rachel Notley asked Kenney why the UCP government was proposing legislation to delay the 2019 Annual Report to the end of August, when the legislature wasn’t sitting. Kenney responded, in part, by claiming “The Auditor General has indicated that their office is not in a position, because of the pandemic, to produce a report according to the normal schedule. We’re going to work closely with the Auditor General and will be coming forward with a full review later this summer.”

 

The Office of the Auditor General confirmed to the NDP Caucus that this was not true. According to a submission provided by the Office: “To the Auditor General’s knowledge, we never stated any concerns about our capability to complete our financial statement audit work by June 30.” 

 

“Once again, Jason Kenney is caught willfully misleading the legislature, just to hide financial reports that prove his plan is failing,” said NDP Leader Rachel Notley. “This report will no doubt lay bare Jason Kenney’s fiscal mismanagement during his first year in office that led to a higher deficit, higher income taxes on Albertans, and 50,000 lost jobs. Instead, he’s passing legislation to bury it while putting the blame on the Auditor General.”

 

The Alberta NDP will be raising a Point of Privilege - the highest level of possible legislative sanction - against the Premier and Finance Minister for deliberately misleading the legislature around fundamental facts regarding a bill before the house, and besmirching the reputation of the Auditor General.