Madam Speaker, as a businessman I have often said that governments should be run like businesses. Now, having been a politician for a year, I say that government cannot be run like a business but it still should be run more businesslike, in a business manner.
My speech is a little long so I will pick out some of the highlights. I realize there cannot be an absolute parallel between the private sector and government. In other words government cannot hire the Auditor General. We do need that arm's length distance.
The Auditor General, however, must be absolutely independent of Parliament and cannot participate directly in the budget planning process. However Parliament would be foolish not to take advantage of the Auditor General's advice in assessing the government's budget plans from the outset.
Why not have value for money audits conducted by the Auditor General in conjunction with budget planning? Why not have sunset clauses contained within all government programs, including social programs, so that they run out after one year, two years, three years, five years or whatever it takes? Then we could see if we want to renew it, add more money, delete some money, or cancel it altogether.
These are some of the things an auditor could do, working in conjunction with the finance minister. The important thing, the crux of the matter, is that governments must stop living on borrowed money and stop refinancing current needs and desires on the backs of our children and grandchildren.
In conclusion because the bureaucracy and politicians are spending the money of other people, no wonder it is hard to balance the budget. No wonder we cannot find out who is responsible. No wonder ministers blame bureaucrats and bureaucrats blame different departments of other departments of bureaucracy. No wonder we have such big fiscal problems within government. I really believe it is important that if we could get the Auditor General to have more authority and become more involved with the budgeting process in this government not only would it complement and assist this government, it would help all future governments and it would, most important, help the people of Canada, the taxpayers.