Let Sheila Fraser Audit MP's and Senators Expenses

Dear Canadian citizen/resident,

Madame Sheila Fraser has been our Auditor General for many years now and has done an outstanding job draped in her integrity and non-partisanship, in assuring oversight, openness, and transparency, with full accounting to the tax payers of Canada. Yet we are now at a critical juncture in terms of an examination of the expense books and possible misuse and abuse of the taxpayer's purse that could only be understood if there is an examination of the expenses.

Madame Fraser wrote a letter to House of Commons speaker Peter Milliken most recently and she has acknowledged that her “invitation” to audit the finances and administration of the Commons had been rejected (by the highly secretive Board of Internal Economy). Madame Fraser and quite rightly and legally so, took issue with the Board’s contention that her office was limited to auditing government departments agencies, and not lawmakers. This is not true and a represents a tactic to stall and prevent the Auditor General from doing her work to examine possible abuses and waste of tax payer money.

She also has the mandate to examine any fraud and criminal activities relating to expenses and she can only do this if the books are made open to her. Yet the Board of Internal Economy has so far denied her any access and the three parties except the Bloc and its leader, have united to deny this access. The Board of Internal Economy and in clear violation of Section 5 of the Act, which states in Section 5 of the Auditor General Act, that the Auditor General is to have access to audit how 'all' taxpayer money is spent. All of it. Any of it. She has the legal mandate but her term is up in one year or so and you can bet she will not be renewed by the government for this recent reach and initiative by her. These accounts that the Auditor General can audit include amounts received and expended by the House of Commons.

We want the Auditor General to audit all expenses by all ministers, all MPs of all parties, the Prime Minister, the PMO, and for the years 2002 to present (May of 2010). We also request a full accounting via line list of all expense categories to ascertain how the 500 million dollars ($500 million) is spent for these expenses and especially the 'other' category. We also request a list of what monies was paid back, by whom, and when. The office and duties of the Auditor General are, and must remain an independent and autonomous body, and a vital provider of oversight in our democratic institution of Parliament. The Auditor General provides the check and balance of responsible governance of our institutions on behalf of the citizens of our nation. The Auditor General must be allowed to perform its job to guarantee the credibility of our elected officials to our citizens.

To fail to co-operate with the Auditor General will result in the citizens holding those same officials to account at the polls. We are asking for your support in this petition. Her invitation to perform the audit has been rejected.