The Official Opposition Interim Leader is condemning the aggressive behaviour of Minister Dominic Cardy towards the Auditor General in light of her most recent report.
“The Minister of Education is making brazen and unfounded claims in regard to a Legislative Officer who is only doing the job she was hired to do in service of the taxpayers,” Says Roger Melanson. “For Minister Cardy to put into question the integrity and objectivity of the Auditor General’s work simply because he does not like the contents of her report is absolutely shameful and the Premier should intervene.”
In the report, it is indicated that the Office of the Auditor General could find no evidence that the decision to build a new school in the Minister of Education’s riding of Hanwell was an evidence-based decision. While the school originally ranked number 43 on the priority list, a methodology change moved it up the number three; however, the Auditor General was not able to find any evidence explaining why the department bypassed the two other schools that ranked higher on the priority list in favour of the Hanwell school.
“It is honestly appalling that Minister Cardy is accusing the Auditor General of creating a false narrative. Nowhere in the report or in the media did she say there was political interference, but people aren’t stupid, something doesn’t look right in how this decision was made,” says Melanson.
The liberal Leader also notes that Minister Cardy’s criticism of the report was included in the Government’s official press release in response to the report.
“This is not the first time we’ve seen this Minister go rogue and start bullying those who do not share his views, but now he is casting doubt on the auditor general’s integrity in a Government issued press release. Does the Premier condone these actions?” questioned Melanson. “It’s time for Premier Higgs to show leadership and tell his Minister to apologize for suggesting the Auditor General is not being impartial. This should never be acceptable behaviour for a Minister or the Crown.”