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$56 Million |
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| St. Boniface - Thursday, March 26, 2003 - by: Mike Reilly | |||||||
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The Liberal government has learned nothing about managing taxpayers' money. The Auditor General has repeatedly criticized most government departments for their lack of spending accountability, including the gun registry and its massive cost overruns. Ottawa has yet to make any changes. Despite repeated warnings for fiscal responsibility, the Chretien-Martin group yesterday voted to put $59 million more towards this year's gun registry operating costs (with another $113 million expected after March 31). | ||||||
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Regardless of your opinion on the merits of the registry, we must ask for an explanation of these costs. The Solicitor General has provided no budget breakdown as part of the parliamentary vote to explain where $59 million is to be spent. Remember that this is for a program whose original cost estimate was no more than $119. Spending on the registry will exceed $1 billion before 2005. If I had a car that needed 50% of my original investment each year to keep it running, I wouldn't own that car very long. | ||||||
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Our Members of Parliament have more responsibility to us than spending our money. Even the most noble of causes does not excuse such disregard. | ||||||
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All but six Liberals voted for the additional spending in violation of their obligation to their constituents. As public servants, they must demand from the government a budget demonstrating how the overruns occurred as well as a detailed plan on how the problems will be addressed. As voters, we must demand better of them or we must replace them in the next election. | ||||||
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| Reference: | |||||||
| Liberals approve more spending for gun registry, March 26, 2003, CBC News | |||||||
| Liberals approve another $59M for gun registry March 26, 2003, Canadian Press (CTV News) | |||||||
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