Treasury Secretary Eric Girard is open and considering creating a position of a parliamentary budget officer, like in Ottawa, who would give parliamentarians independent economic advice.
At federal level there is the Parliamentary Budget Officer. It is a “neutral, non-partisan and non-governmental” office.
It is responsible for “providing Parliament with economic and financial analysis with the aim of improving the quality of parliamentary debates and promoting transparency and accountability in the budget”.
Questioned by the solidary Haroun Bouazzi while studying the Treasury’s loans, the minister admitted that the creation of such a position is currently part of a reflection within the Quebec government apparatus.
“Yes, we are open to that, it is part of the ongoing discussions with parliamentary reform,” he said.
Mr Girard would like a second independent eye to issue budgetary analyses, but “there should be no duplication” with the Auditor-General’s mission, he pleaded.
The Budget Officer in Ottawa can also estimate the cost of campaign pledges by political parties and independent MPs before a general election.
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