CALGARY, AB: Today the Canadian Taxpayers Federation (CTF) announced its support for a private member’s bill to create an Independent Budget Officer. Bill 202 – brought forward by Calgary-Fish Creek MLA Heather Forsyth – would create a new officer of the legislature to provide independent analysis of the province’s finances. 

“If there is just one piece of legislation MLAs should pass right now, Bill 202 is it. An independent budget officer is badly needed to bring Alberta back to comprehendible financial reporting,” said CTF-Alberta Director Derek Fildebrandt.  

Since August 2012, Finance Minister Doug Horner has, at times, withheld critical data previously required by law under the Government Accountability Act, which was repealed in 2013. In both the 2013-14 and 2014-15 budgets, the government has refused to provide a transparent accounting of the total deficit or surplus. 

“With Alberta’s finances as clear as mud, an independent budget officer would bring much needed clarity to the books. It shouldn’t be the job of taxpayer watchdogs and opposition parties to second guesssecond-guess the government’s numbers. This is a job best done by an independent officer of the legislature,” continued Fildebrandt.

Alberta’s Auditor General criticized the finance department last year for presenting budget numbers that were near impossible for regular Albertans to understand. Merwan Saher told the media: “There’s no way, in my opinion, that average Albertan could have arrived at the $1.9-billion [deficit] number that we have.”

The proposed Independent Budget Officer would have powers and responsibilities similar to that of the federal Parliamentary Budget Officer, the US Congressional Budget Officer and other provincial equivalents. 

“The Parliamentary Budget Officer in Ottawa has proven itself hugely valuable in providing an independent set of eyes to ensure that information coming from the government is credible, forthright and depoliticized. More so than any jurisdiction in Canada right now, this is what Alberta needs,” concluded Fildebrandt. 

This past fall, the Canadian Taxpayers Federation awarded Ottawa’s first Parliamentary Budget Officer, Kevin Page, with its highest honour, the TaxFighter Award.