Yesterday - Donna Barnett, the BC Liberal MLA for Cariboo-Chilcotin spoke out on Bill 20 which establishes the new Auditor-General for Local Government. I still have concerns about how the government went and did consultation on this initiative and the fact it still appears it hasn't learned the lessons from the HST Debacle. Surveying local governments with "leading" questions about an Auditor General for Local Government is not what I define as "consultation"
Meanwhile - here are Ms. Barnett comments from Hansard:
D. Barnett: Today I stand here in support of this bill.
I will say to my colleagues across the floor: I thank you for bringing up my comments, which I did say — that we did not need this, as we had processes in place.
But you know, I took time. I listened to my constituents. I re-read the bill. I sought information, and I sought input. Today I can say that after talking with my colleagues in local government in the Cariboo-Chilcotin, who all support this bill, who all support this auditor general…. I have listened to my constituents, and I have made a good decision. This is a good piece of legislation. That's what a good MLA does: keeps their mind open and listens to their constituents.
It's interesting that many, many years ago, probably 20 years ago, the provincial government didn't even have an auditor general.
Interjection.
D. Barnett: Well, take a look. Listen. Years ago we didn't have auditors general. We have them now. Probably the opposition didn't believe in those in those days either. But time changes, needs change, and we have to be with change.
I think that the opposition should take a better look at this and listen to their constituents. I know many local governments who are in support of this. I can tell you why: because they understand the importance, as we do, of transparency to our taxpayers.
I heard from across the floor today many times that this is pushed by business. In my communities it's not pushed by business, and by this government it's not pushed by business. It's pushed by taxpayers. I don't care whether you're businessmen, you're a lawyer, you're a doctor, you're a mother, you're a housekeeper, or you're just a great homemaker. There's only one taxpayer. That taxpayer pays for everything that happens in this country, believe you me. We don't have more than one. So continuously to pick on business really bothers me.
Believe it or not, jobs are the most important thing to keep our country moving, to keep our tax dollars coming, and to keep our communities healthy, wealthy and a great place to live. So I think it's time we all realized that business is important. It is the backbone of the country.
I think that another thing we have to look at is the inspector of municipalities that I've heard so much about. The inspector of municipalities does a great job, but this type of auditor is not what the inspector of municipalities does. If you take a look at what he does, some of the things he does…. He looks after the borrowing bylaws. He looks after the Municipal Finance Authority.
There is a role for our auditor for the government. There is a role for the inspector of municipalities, and this is a different role. This is called value for money. My communities have said that they are quite happy with this. They actually have asked the minister already to be some of the first to receive this audit, value for money, and I find that very exciting.
So yes, I changed my mind. Yes, my local governments convinced me and my taxpayers that this was in their best interest. For the opposition, if you would like, I have a copy of the press release. I'm really happy to share it with all of you here today, believe you me.
Something else that the opposition should maybe look at when they say this government over here has done nothing for local governments. I was there for almost 18 years. I was there when the Socreds were in government, I was there when the members across the room were in government, and I was there when this government was in government. Senior governments help local governments in many ways, but I can tell you that since 2001 there has been $3 billion in new funding provided for local governments. In partnership with the federal government, there has been $5 billion in total provided for local governments.
There has also been more than $493 million in traffic fine revenues back to communities since 2001. So when I hear that the government of the day is not taking care and helping local government, I find that very difficult to accept, believe you me.
Value for money. What is that? It's a great topic, one that, believe it or not, is proactive in nature. You know, I find it very interesting, and I have found it for a long time in other things I've done in my career, that for governments to be proactive really upsets people because they don't understand how important it is to think for the future, to work for the future.
We all know, as I have said, that there's one taxpayer. We all know that the way we're going to move ahead in this province and in this country is to spend wisely and together, with knowledge. I believe this is one way that we can improve our livelihood and improve how dollars are spent by local governments. They agree that it's time we started looking at how we can do things better, where we can find better tools. In essence, at the end of the day, I believe this will be a benefit to all.
I also think that maybe we should take a look at Bill 20 itself and some of the key messages. You know, B.C. has a strong local government accountability framework. Yes, it does. This is not what this is about. This is about value for money. This is about learning, sharing and maybe doing things better because somebody from the outside looking in can help. This office at its core reflects recognition, as I said a few minutes ago, that there's only one taxpayer, and all levels of government have a responsibility to ensure that British Columbians receive the best possible returns on their taxpayer dollars.
Nowadays there is no requirement for local governments to undergo performance or value-for-money audits. The audits they do now, as I'm sure most here know, are done to see whether the books are balanced. It took this money in, it put that money out, and at the end of the day: did your books balance? Yes. I have never seen a local government in my time where the books did not balance, but it is not value for money.
You know, the federal governments and provincial governments are very accountable to the taxpayers through the way our Auditor General does his reports. I hear across the row saying that we don't pay any attention. We do pay attention. What that Auditor General tells government is very important. What it does is keep us accountable, and it keeps the opposition also accountable because, in essence, if we are not accountable to what the Auditor General tells us, we are reminded on a daily basis, believe you me. I don't think anybody will dispute that point.
Bill 20 sets out the key design elements of the AGLG in establishing what the AGLG will and will not do. It conducts performance, value-for-money audits only; creates a separate, independent office that does not report to the Legislature; supports, not duplicates, the strong accountability framework currently in place for local governments; has a mandate more limited than that of the Office of the Auditor General of B.C. but is similarly restricted to making recommendations rather than imposing solutions; and does not restrict local government's ability to make policy decisions about taxation, land use and other services by second-guessing policy choices.
The AGLG's mandate will cover municipalities, regional districts, the two Metro Vancouver water and sewage boards and the various bodies controlled by those 190 local governments.
Our first priority is to allow the office to undertake the important work of performance audits on municipalities and regional districts. However, in future other local governments or special purpose local bodies such as the Islands Trust and the Okanagan Basin Water Board could come under AGLG oversight.
Our government is committed to working collaboratively with municipalities to keep costs low for taxpayers. We have consulted with stakeholders, including the Union of B.C. Municipalities, business groups and other affected parties, to determine how best to structure the role of the AGLG. Stakeholders will continue to be a key component as we work to establish the new office. We also asked local governments for their input on the potential role, purpose, function, reporting and scope of the proposed office.
As part of this legislation, the AGLG will report through an audit council made up of at least five persons with expertise for terms up to three years. The Union of B.C. Municipalities has provided valuable input on the composition of the audit council. Other groups invited to provide input on the council's composition include the Local Government Management Association, B.C. Business Council, government finance officers association, the Canadian Federation of Independent Business and B.C. Chamber of Commerce.
Remember, the B.C. Chamber of Commerce, the Canadian Federation of Independent Business…. You know, I hear, when the opposition talks about these organizations: "Business, business, business." Business, as I've said before, is what keeps this province going. I find it so insensitive when I hear from across the room that business is what pushed the minister and the Premier, and especially the Premier, to decide that this was a great thing to do for the taxpayers of the province of British Columbia. I don't think there's anybody that I know of that doesn't support business, because they understand the most important thing in this province is still jobs, jobs, jobs.
The audit council's first order of business will be to make a recommendation to the minister on the appointment of an auditor general for local government. That is the council — assisting local governments. Local governments have played an important role in the process leading up to this bill. It is not the AGLG's mandate to impose solutions, as I've said, on local governments.
Rather, it will be up to local governments to decide what actions to take following from recommendations made by the AGLG.
In talking to local governments in my area, they are quite excited about that part. They think it is good, they think they will learn, and they believe that they will help the taxpayers in many ways and make their communities stronger and healthier.
Local governments will still have an unrestricted ability to make policy decisions about taxation, land use and services they provide. But they will learn from each other, and that is what they want to do.
I want to read what my community leaders have said about their support for this municipal auditor general; 100 Mile House mayor, Mitch Campsall; Cariboo regional district chair, Al Richmond; and Williams Lake mayor, Kerry Cook have all come out in support of the B.C. government's proposed municipal auditor general.
"We believe that transparency is important. As the mayor of 100 Mile House, I welcome this at no cost to taxpayers. We are open and transparent" — 100 Mile House mayor, Mitch Campsall.
"The CRD welcomes any opportunity to examine ways to deliver services to our residents as efficiently as possible. We actively seek out opportunities to improve our service delivery methods and believe the AGLG is an opportunity for all local governments to share and benefit from best practices" — Cariboo regional district chair, Al Richmond.
"I believe in the importance of being open, transparent and accountable to the taxpayers. We welcome input on how we can be more efficient and effective and learn from other communities as we plan for the years ahead" — Williams Lake mayor, Kerry Cook.
I'm proud of these community leaders who have come forward, who at first did not really agree with this auditor general. Like, I've said things, and I was opposed to it, but you know what? We sat down, we took a good look, we had many discussions, and as other issues come forward, we said: "You know, this is being proactive, this is in the best interest of the taxpayer, and this is our responsibility."
Mr. Speaker, I am supporting this bill. Whether my colleagues would like to go out into the world and say that the MLA for Cariboo-Chilcotin changed her mind…. Yes, I did change my mind, but I changed it for all the right reasons, not for the wrong reasons. I encourage everyone to take a good look, to listen, to talk to their communities' leaders and to talk to their constituents to see what they think about transparency and openness and value for money. I think once you do that, you will understand the importance of good governance. That's what this is all about.
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