Dear Editor,
Saskatchewan’s finance minister must resign over untrustworthy books.
Saskatchewan’s independent provincial auditor has issued a warning that the government’s central books cannot be trusted.
For the first time ever in Canada, the independent provincial auditor filed an adverse audit opinion on the government’s central financial statements. The very serious move from the auditor is unprecedented in Canada. The provincial auditor’s adverse audit opinion states that this government’s 2013 general revenue fund statements are “full of errors” and “not reliable.”
If the books can’t be trusted, neither can the finance minister manipulating them. That’s why it’s time for the premier to ask for the finance minister’s resignation.
Adverse audit opinions are incredibly rare – this is the first ever issued in Saskatchewan and the first in Canada for a government’s government-wide accounting. Only a handful of adverse-opinion designations have ever been given to specific ministries in other provinces – never as a result of the government’s central bank account, the general revenue fund.
In the private sector, an adverse opinion could force a publicly-traded company to be de-listed from the stock exchange.
While the government has been reporting a surplus of $60 million for this year’s budget, the auditor tells us this government is actually running a massive deficit of nearly $600 million this year.
It’s absolutely mind-boggling that this government is struggling to manage our provincial finances when it’s been given such a strong economy and record revenues.
Instead of stubbornly refusing to be accountable and transparent, the government should appoint a new finance minister to clean up the mess and start Saskatchewan back on the path to clean books.
Cam Broten
Leader, Saskatchewan NDP
