I
n an apparent bid to become B.C.’s most ironic government agency, the Auditor General for Local Government has cost us all $5.2 million and produced exactly one audit — a far cry from the 18 a year they promised each year. We also learned this week the office is plagued by low morale, infighting and waste.
The solution from the province? Audit the auditor.
B.C.’s mayors fought the decision to create a new auditor kicking and screaming, many of them arguing that it was simply a political stunt to appear fiscally responsible. Perhaps more presciently, they suggested the province should focus on getting its own house in order first.
Our government has a history of clashing with its own auditors or shelving their advice. Yet another irony, both levels of government have balanced budget legislation, though only the municipalities are actually forced to balance their books.
Until this is sorted out, we’d like to say Christy Clark has lost her privileges to accuse anyone else of financial incompetence.
Yet, on Wednesday, her education minister took to the airwaves to announce the Vancouver School Board would be getting its own provincially appointed auditor.
In principle, auditing is something we are very much in support of.
When done properly, an audit can be one of the sharpest tools in our policy toolbox. But this is not an example of that.
Now that we’ve established there’s reason to question whether taxpayers are being well served by the auditor, we look forward to a referendum on whether we want to continue funding it.
We also look forward to the Canadian Taxpayers Federation championing the no vote.
