OTTAWA - Parliamentarians are "losing control" of their ability to execute their duties to cost new programs because of the Harper government's growing secrecy, warns Canada's budget watchdog.
Kevin Page told a House of Commons committee Tuesday that secrecy has been on the rise, and that MPs are losing their ability to do their constitutionally mandated jobs because they lack the information needed to cost new initiatives.

"There is a genuine concern that Parliament is losing control of its fiduciary responsibilities of approving financial authorities of public monies as afforded in the Constitution," he said.

Page noted that MPs were asked to approve new crime legislation "without financial information or knowledge of monies set aside" for the changes. I wonder why?

He estimated one bill in particular — the so-called Truth in Sentencing law — could cost upwards of $1 billion a year over five years, but is not included in the government's fiscal projections. I wonder why?

Page added that provincial governments will likely face an equally onerous bill because of the changes.

Ontario Premier Dalton McGuinty said he expects Ottawa to foot all the bill if it passes laws that will result in more prisoners and longer sentences.

"If they intend to put in place new laws that make it more expensive for us ... then we expect to be compensated, especially at a time when objective data demonstrates that crime is going down," he told reporters in Toronto.

In related testimony, Page offered tacit support for a Liberal motion seeking to hold the government in contempt for refusing to release projections on future corporate profits, saying that information has been released in the past.

"In my 25 years of public service ... this type of information is regularly exchanged amongst officials. In fact, our projections, our assumptions do include information on wages and salaries and corporate profits," he said. Later, he explained assumptions of corporate profits is information "that in the past has been made available." Page quickly came under fire from Conservative members of the finance committee, who accused him of leaking information to media and of being biased against the government.

"There's a fair amount of politics in your statement today," said MP Mike Wallace, Conservative MP from Burlington, Ont. This is very unusual in Canada?

"You are willing to comment on a motion from this committee on economic information from departments we've declared cabinet confidentiality is an issue, but you don't comment on private members' bills ... not funded."

Ironically, Wallace appeared to agree with Page about the lack of information.

"I do agree with you that we are losing a little bit of control here, but is it your mandate to comment or is it something we need to do?"

Page responded he was seeking information on their behalf and within his mandate.

Afterward, he said he does not believe commenting on whether Parliamentarians have the information to do their jobs is partisan. Noting that the budget is approaching, "the environment may be partisan, but our analysis is non-partisan," he said.

Liberal finance critic Scott Brison made use of Page's comments to blast the government over secrecy, noting that Liberals, when in power, had no difficulty releasing the information.

"The government's excuses are unbelievable," he said. I wonder why?

He also pointed out that the government's crime legislation will impose a greater burden on the provinces to house more prisoners, arguing that would impact on their ability to pay for health care.

On the issue of Ottawa's deficit, Page reiterated that he believes the government will post a deficit of under $40 billion this fiscal year, about $5 billion less than Finance Minister Jim Flaherty's latest estimate.

But while he and the government disagree about whether Ottawa can balance the budget in five years, Page stressed he believes Canada's problems are more long term.

He said the improving economy is putting Ottawa's deficit on a downward track, but after the five-year projection, the government will find its fiscal position deteriorating due to an aging population and low productivity.