Craig James complains about the AG auditing!!

[flamingfingers]

Seems like James does not like the Auditor General trying to do his job:

Saturday, February 2, 2013
Widespread stonewalling of Auditor General

According to the Canadian Press, B.C.'s clerk of the legislature Craig James is not happy with Auditor General John Doyle. During a gathering in Victoria of Canadian legislative officers, a private meeting was broadcast on speakers throughout the building. We can only guess if one of the junior staff was seeking revenge by opening the audio channel. An insider told me recently that Liberals have been experiencing push-back from civil servants as the government rushes to complete arrangements for friends before their corrupt machine is retired.

" 'There's been this disconnect and boiling animosity between this place and the office of the auditor general in terms of the propriety of certain discussions and certain statements that have been made about various audits of this place,' said James during debate at the legislature.

"...Last summer, Doyle released an audit of the financial management of the legislature that concluded the building's financial records were in such a state of disorder that he couldn't conclude if money was being properly spent.

"Doyle's report found that MLA credit card bills were being paid without receipts and the legislative assembly hadn't produced financial statements despite a 2007 recommendation from the previous auditor general...

"James said he's had a request from Doyle's office for all the financial documents relating to the 2011-2012 financial year, at least 28,000 documents.

" 'We're not interested in a fishing trip,' he said"

There is a good bit of irony here. James, talking to people from across the country who have no connection with the province and its government, dares to complain that John Doyle, an officer of the legislature pursuing duties assigned to him, was wrong to talk to British Columbians about embarrassing details of sloppy financial administration by James, his colleagues and predecessors.

Craig James may be particularly sensitive because his own spending of government money has been questioned. Integrity BC had this to say about Mr. James recently in Ex-Chief Electoral Officer takes wife to Kenya on taxpayers’ tab:

"British Columbians paid thousands of dollars for the former head of Elections BC, to take his wife on a business trip to Africa and for him to later stay at an exclusive private club in Washington, D.C. and an Arizona resort.

"Records obtained by IntegrityBC via a freedom of information request also show Craig James – who has since been appointed clerk of British Columbia’s legislature – spent two-and-a-half times more on travel in 2010 than Harry Neufeld his predecessor at Elections BC did in the year prior.

"James’s $43,295 bill for travel expenses between August 25th and December 12th, 2010 followed the introduction of new travel entitlements that he authorized for himself and senior employees at the government agency..."

Craig James' defensiveness is a warning sign. Organizations being audited cannot dictate to the Auditor which records are available and which records are not. If they could, the audits would have no value. Audits, by their nature, are fishing trips. Examiners first evaluate internal control systems to determine if they are adequate and functioning. They review the commitments and capability of people exercising authority. If the systems are lacking or the individuals not competent, auditors increase the extent of review. Past financial management by legislative managers demonstrate that controls have been woefully inadequate or non-existent.

If Craig James is worth the almost $30,000 a month he costs BC taxpayers, he would know that. Keep in mind that James was appointed Clerk of the Legislature in 2011 over the objections of the NDP. He had previously been appointed without opposition consent to head Elections BC. After being accused of partisan conduct, he whined,

"I have been frankly saddened by the vitriolic attacks that I and my office have been subjected to in the past week.”

Words and actions suggest that Craig James has a well developed sense of entitlement and wants no auditor challenging his right to rewards. That sets off alarm bells. Bells that have already been ringing as stonewalling BC Liberals aim to prevent John Doyle from doing his job.

http://northerninsights.blogspot.ca/

[NAB]

I think it is hilarious that James' comments in a closed private meeting got broadcast over the PA system. He must be feeling quite embarrassed LOL. I wonder if the participants from the other provinces are embarrassed for him..... or if they are privately laughing behind his back at his situation too?

Ya really gotta wonder about the motives of someone who tries to prevent an auditor from doing his/her job. Just makes them more suspicious and inclined to dig even deeper, and increases public support for them being allowed to do so. After all, what could James & Co. possibly need or want to hide?? ;-)

Nab

[flamingfingers]

Nab, I think the problem really lies in the fact that the Liberals here in BC have become so imbued with "entitlement syndrome" that they feel OUR TAX DOLLARS are 'their money'.

Just look at the mega millions that have been spent and are being spent on promoting this corrupt entity!

They are spending $15 million of OUR money on ads. They are spending $11 million of OUR money on the TOIFA extravaganza. And now they spend millions more on SUPERBOWL game ads? Is there no end to this travesty??!!

[ScottSA]

I don't think it's just the Liberals. We've been exposing the most egregious misuse of taxpayer money by Eric Foster, and there's been not a peep out of the NDP. I'm sure on one level they feel that the BC Conservatives are doing their job for them, but it's perhaps telling that Foster himself said that if we're going to look at his office shenanigans, we should be looking at everyone on both sides of the house. This province needs a good housecleaning from top to bottom - including both of the old-line parties.

[NAB]

The AG is a non-partisan unelected independent watchdog (or is supposed to be), while unelected Craig James is supposed to be running the management of the Legislature which I would expect to be done in a non-partisan manner as well (I had the same expectations of him when he was in charge of Elections BC). Both of those people (and their staff) should in my view always be putting the overall public interest first.

The legislature itself of course includes elected members from the Liberal Party, The NDP, and some independents. So in line with this topic I would expect both of those gentlemen to cooperate fully and without any partisan notions, partisan political interference or support, or stonewalling (a lofty expectation in BC it seems I will admit), ....applicable to MLA's of all stripes, ....and their findings applicable to ALL elected members accounts. As a result I see this as more of a bureaucratic level issue than a political one.

Presumably Eric Foster, Barisoff, and Co and many in the entire legislature have a different notion than mine of how the bureaucracy should work.... or at least be acknowledging that in this particular case those non-partisan expectations are not being met, ....perhaps actually support, at the policy setting level, that approach by James?

Nab