Arguments continue Friday in the second day of hearings into Parliamentary Budget Officer Kevin Page's dispute with the Harper government over his office's mandate.
Page himself was not present Thursday, but his lawyer, Joseph Magnet, argued that the statute that created Page's position gives him the legal right to ask government departments for documents and data about whether savings outlined in last spring's budget are achievable.
Page's office provides financial analysis to any member of Parliament who asks for his expertise. In the case before the court, Official Opposition Leader Thomas Mulcair had asked Page to determine what kind of layoffs and service cuts might result from the 2012 budget.
Mulcair has joined the case as an interested party.
Page asked every government department to provide information about their planned savings, planned personnel reductions, their year over year spending, as well as performance indicators and targets.
Many departments refused and several cabinet ministers voiced the opinion that Page was exceeding his mandate. One Conservative MP suggested Page should go online to government websites to find the information he sought.
In court Thursday, lawyers for Page and Mulcair argued that legislation guaranteed Page free and timely access to economic data so that he could do his job.
The lawyer representing the Speaker of the House of Commons, Steven Chaplin, said Page's position was created by Parliament so he ought to make his complaints to the House of Commons, through the Speaker, rather than going to the courts.
A key issue in the case so far is whether the Federal Court even has the jurisdiction to determine whether Page can access the information he seeks, or whether, as the government argues, he is an employee of Parliament and the issue he's raising is a political question, not a legal one.
It's not known how quickly Justice Sean Harrington might rule on the matter.
Outside the courtroom, Friday is also Page's last day on the job as parliamentary budget officer. He's retiring and the government has not yet filled his position, although there will be an interim PBO.
Mobile-friendly version of Leslie MacKinnon's liveblog from court also available.
Anda sedang membaca artikel tentang
Budget watchdog's court challenge continues for 2nd day
Dengan url
http://politikduniabarat.blogspot.com/2013/03/budget-watchdogs-court-challenge.html
Anda boleh menyebar luaskannya atau mengcopy paste-nya
Budget watchdog's court challenge continues for 2nd day
namun jangan lupa untuk meletakkan link
Budget watchdog's court challenge continues for 2nd day
sebagai sumbernya
0 komentar:
Posting Komentar