MPs cut costs at expense of public information

Western Producer staff

In this season of government spending cuts, this is the story of one case of misplaced federal frugality.

A committee of federal MPs, meeting in private as the House of Commons Board of Internal Economy, representing Liberal, Bloc QuŽbecois and Reform parties, has decided to save money by limiting the ability of Canadians to know what is happening in Parliament.

The saving, over the course of a Parliament, will be several million dollars.

The cost will be an erosion of the ability of Canadians to keep their politicians’ feet to the fire.

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What is happening?

In the name of cost saving, the committee decided that transcripts of Commons committee meetings should not be printed and distributed, except in special circumstances. Audio tapes will be available, no doubt for a price.

Also in the name of frugality, they decided that very few copies of legislation before Parliament will be printed for distribution to Canadians.

Last week, Saskatchewan New Democrat Len Taylor protested that he wanted copies of the gun control bill to be distributed to interested voters in his largely-rural riding of The Battlefords – Meadow Lake. He was told that MPs will be limited to 10 copies each.

Not many Canadians probably want to read the actual legalese, but those who do should be able to do so. It is, after all, legislation that will affect them.

The decision not to print committee transcripts is even more critical.

Most of the work of MPs is done in committee hearings, not in the Commons. When Canadians want to appear before Parliament to make their views known, committees of MPs are the forum.

On gun control and the Crow Benefit, budget cuts and subsidy programs, it is at committees where MPs fight the battles and where Canadians have their most direct access to Parliament Hill.

Obviously, not everyone can attend committees. If not, according to the proposed new rules, you likely will never be able to find out exactly what went on, what position your MP took or how the debate ebbed and flowed.

Not everyone cares. Many do and it is their Parliament. It is an issue for reporters covering Parliament, since many committees may be meeting at the same time. Without transcripts for those meetings that cannot be attended in person, there will be little news out of the committees. The Parliamentary Press Gallery is protesting the decision.

But it is far more than a media issue.

Rural MP Vic Althouse (NDP – Mackenzie) said last week constituents often ask for committee transcripts from his office if an issue of concern to rural Saskatchewan was discussed.

That may no longer be possible.

Democracy and an informed electorate have their costs. Letting people know what their MPs and lobby representatives are doing on Parliament Hill should be part of the cost.

The millions to be saved come at a price. If Canadians care, they may want to let their MPs know this is penny wise and pound foolish.