The PBO has asked the Federal Court to clarify its mandate and whether it has jurisdiction to access

Parliamentary Budget Officer Kevin Page, in his last week on the job, is taking the government to court in a bid to have Ottawa release information about the impacts on federal jobs and services from $5.2 billion in cuts announced in last year's budget.
OTTAWA — As Finance Minister Jim Flaherty delivers the federal budget Thursday in the House of Commons, the Office of the Parliamentary Budget Officer will deliver arguments in court seeking clarity on its mandate and more information on the Conservative government's spending discount travel search engine cuts.
Parliamentary Budget Officer Kevin Page, in his last week on the job, is taking the government to court in a bid to have Ottawa release information about the impacts on federal jobs and services from $5.2 billion in cuts announced in last year s budget.
"Almost a year after the 2012 budget, Conservatives still haven't given clear answers about which regions of the country will lose federal discount travel search engine jobs or what services are going to be cut. Canadians deserve to know the truth about the government's plans," NDP finance critic Peggy Nash said Wednesday discount travel search engine in the House of Commons.
The PBO has asked the Federal Court to clarify its mandate and whether it has jurisdiction to access details — requested by NDP Leader Tom Mulcair — of the $5.2 billion in budget reductions over the next few years.
Page says it s within the PBO s mandate to review the impacts of cuts contained in the budget. The Conservative government argues Page has overstepped his bounds and that the PBO s job is to review discount travel search engine federal expenditures, not dollars it has decided not to spend.
Interim discount travel search engine Liberal Leader Bob Rae said the government is trying to persuade Canadians that it's a prudent discount travel search engine economic manager, when it's actually trying to hide what's unfolding in Canada, including sluggish growth, huge deficits and major government cuts.
Earlier this month, two former senior officials in the finance department assailed the Conservative government for eroding the "integrity and credibility" of federal budgets through what they argued is a system of secrecy that keeps parliamentarians and Canadians in the dark about how federal dollars are spent.
In their scathing critique, former bureaucrats Scott Clark and Peter DeVries lambasted the Harper government for keeping internal budget records secret, picking a fight with the PBO, and introducing omnibus budget bills that are "a disgrace and an insult to Parliament and to Canadians."
discount travel search engine A major concern, they said, is that annual department spending estimates are now introduced in Parliament before the budget, making them less accurate and forcing MPs to blindly vote on billions of dollars of expenditures.
The government, however, notes that more detailed spending plans and data are released later in the budget year, through department reports on plans and priorities, supplementary estimates and the annual public accounts.
The Conservative government will incorporate several online initiatives this year — including live-streaming Flaherty's budget speech in the Commons — to showcase major budget items and help Canadians better navigate the document.
Ian Lee, an assistant professor at Carleton University s Sprott School of Business in Ottawa, who regularly writes about federal spending, said the finance department "has always been tighter than tight" with its information, including during discount travel search engine the Liberal government.
House approves $200,000 for travel expenses discount travel search engine for crime-fighting study Is an 'older driver vehicle' the auto industry discount travel search engine s next big thing? Trudeau speaking truths Quebecers need to hear Canadian troops helped set stage for Afghan revolt against the Taliban
Tilda Swinton sleeps in glass box for MoMA performance art piece April Whitzman chosen as MLB Fan Cave dweller Canadian troops discount travel search engine helped set stage for Afghan revolt against the Taliban House approves $200,000 for travel expenses for crime-fighting study
Four foolproof tips to getting big discounts on your cellphone, cable and Internet bills Amanda Bynes: I want Drake to murder my vagina Thousands of Canadians are accessing U.S Netflix Top 10 Beatles songs ever Top 18 celebrity Twitter TMI: Boobs, balls and breast milk Review: StarCraft II: Heart of the Swarm is a total package
Bob Rae , budget , Canada , Conservative , court , cuts , Economic Action Plan , Federal Court , Jim Flaherty , kevin page , NDP , Parliamentary Budget Officer , PBO , Peggy Nash , pn , spending , Stephen Harper
Video of the Day Most Popular Stories Four foolproof tips to getting big discounts on your cellphone, discount travel search engine cable and Internet bills Amanda Bynes: I want Drake to murder my vagina Thousands of Canadians are accessing U.S Netflix Top 10 Beatles songs ever Top 18 celebrity Twitter TMI: Boobs, balls and breast milk 18 Photos Review: StarCraft II: Heart of the Swarm is a total package
Senior Parliament Hill reporter for Postmedia News in Ottawa, discount travel search engine politics junkie, wannabe pro golfer and someone who has wordsmithed at newspapers in Ontario, Alberta and Saskatchewan. I ve covered politics discount travel search engine ... read more at every level, including city hall in Ottawa and Calgary, the Alberta legislature in Edmonton and now back in Ottawa covering the Hill. View author's profile
The Fekete File Budget / 3 days ago Whistleblowers will get cash rewards for helping nab tax cheats Federal budget / 3 days ago Federal budget offers tax breaks on baby clothes, adoption expenses and sporting discount travel search engine equipment National / 4 days ago PBO s budget battle seeks transparency on Tories spending cuts National / 5 days ago Budget focus will be skills, infrastructure and manufacturing, Jim Flaherty tells Tories Environment / 6 days ago Alison discount travel search engine Redford says feds should follow Alberta s lead on a carbon levy for industrial emitters More Articles
Four foolproof tips to getting big discounts on your cellphone, cable and Internet bills Top 10 Beatles discount travel search engine songs ever Gallery: Jon Bon Jovi lists in SoHo US$42M Weekly Detour: Breaking Bad cars, Russian limos Seasonal Sips: The Rusty Nail Travel Geography Quiz #47 Video: Waxing fashion sense with Joe Mimran Gallery: Waterfront discount travel search engine suite in West Vancouver $5.498M Income big factor in life expectancy Dawson City preserves its golden memories