Liberal MPs offer amendments to controversial changes for budget watchdog
OTTAWA — The Trudeau government is backing away from controversial elements of its legislation to transform the federal budget watchdog, with help from a number of amendments proposed Friday by Liberal MPs.
Details of the proposed legislation to change the parliamentary budget office have faced sharp criticism amid concerns the changes would weaken the independence of an agency mandated to scrutinize government spending.
Budget officer Jean-Denis Frechette has said the most troubling changes include proposed limits on the office’s freedom to initiate reports; restrictions on the abilities of individual parliamentarians to seek cost estimates; and a rule stating annual work plans be approved by Speakers of the Senate and the House of Commons.
Liberal members of the House of Commons finance committee have proposed removing the work-plan approval requirement and allowing a broader scope of what parliamentarians can ask the PBO to study.