OTTAWA – Today, Elizabeth May, Leader of the Green Party of Canada and Member of Parliament for Saanich–Gulf Islands, asked for unanimous consent on a motion to invite the Auditor General to conduct an audit of the House of Commons.
During the height of the Senate-PMO scandal, the Conservative led Senate passed a motion to have the Auditor General perform a comprehensive audit on all Senators. Some Senators, notably Senator Percy Downe in a letter to all Party leaders, are asking Members of the House of Commons to join the Senate in its effort to increase transparency.
With this motion, May's intention is not to question the integrity of any MPs, but to simply ask that the House hold itself to the same standard they are asking of the Senate
Elizabeth May, Leader of the Green Party of Canada and Member of Parliament for Saanich–Gulf Islands, stated, “I don’t question the integrity of any of my colleagues, but I believe in a simple principle. We, as Members of the House of Commons, must hold ourselves to the same level of transparency as that we expect from the Senate. That is why, I asked my colleagues in the House to support the following motion ” :
That this House acknowledge that the value of Canada’s democratic institutions to the life of the country cannot be reduced to “value for tax-dollars” or “return on investment” recognize that Canadians expect responsibility, transparency, and accountability from their elected representatives and institutions of government; and therefore, invite the Auditor General of Canada to conduct a comprehensive audit of House of Commons’ expenses, including Members of Parliament, in addition to the Office of the Prime Minister and Ministers of Cabinet.
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