Fun with figures: Sanctimonious Miller ‘sad to learn’ of $15B provincial deficit

BRACEBRIDGE — Notwithstanding Monday’s midnight run on democracy, the Ford government’s announcement Friday that Ontario is deep in doo doo shows we’re headed south in more ways than one.

Progressive Conservative MPP Norman Miller was quick to issue his own sanctimonious statement within hours of Finance Minister Vic Fedeli’s grim tale, saying that the Parry Sound-Muskoka member is “sad to learn that the previous government actually left a deficit of $15 billion.”

“This figure comes from the Independent Financial Commission of Inquiry’s report into the accounting practices of the previous government which was released today,” he said in his release datelined from Bracebridge where he has his office and had presumably come home to vent his anger at the previous government.

“The Commission report reveals a culture of waste embedded at the highest levels of the previous government,” Miller quotes Fedeli.

“In an election year, they pursued a reckless spree of deficit-financed spending,” the provincial treasurer says.

As well, Miller goes on, the government released the Public Accounts of Ontario for 2017-18 today that show that contrary to claims of a balanced budget, Ontario actually ran a $3.7 billion deficit in 2017-18.

“I am pleased that our government has cleaned up the accounting tricks used by the previous government to try to hide their deficits and that, unlike last year, the Auditor General gave the 2017/18 Public Accounts released today a ‘clean opinion,’” said Miller.

“I have a great deal of respect for our Auditor Bonnie Lysyk and I found it very disturbing when last year she told us the Province’s Public Accounts were not a fair and accurate reflection of our finances.”

Add Miller: “With today’s release of the Commission’s report, Ontario’s Government for the People takes the first step to restoring accountability and trust in government, respect taxpayers, and put Ontario’s fiscal house in order.

“The people of Ontario can count on their government to protect our province’s public finances and deliver on our promise to restore accountability and trust in government.”

See Ontario government’s press release below:

TORONTO – Today, Ontario Minister of Finance Vic Fedeli and President of the Treasury Board Peter Bethlenfalvy released the 2017-2018 Public Accounts along with the full report of Ontario’s Independent Financial Commission of Inquiry.

With the findings of the Commission accounted for, the Public Accounts show that, contrary to the previous government’s claims of a balanced budget, Ontario actually ran a $3.7 billion deficit in 2017-18.

Additionally, the Commission confirmed earlier findings from Ontario’s Auditor General that the previous government’s budget numbers were “not a reasonable presentation of Ontario’s finances.”

The report states that the previous government left Ontario with a $15 billion deficit.

“Only when the Government of Ontario truly accounts for its real deficit position can we begin to put the province back on a path to balanced fiscal sustainability,” said Fedeli.  “This is why we are so quick to accept the Commission of Inquiry’s recommendations and work, in good faith, with the Auditor General on solutions.”

The ministers confirmed Ontario’s Auditor General has provided a clean opinion on the 2017-2018 Public Accounts, the first time in three years she has been able to do so.

“Collectively, the Independent Financial Commission of Inquiry, the release of the 2017-18 Public Accounts, and the line-by-line review leave no stone unturned,” said Bethlenfalvy. “We are getting to the bottom of the previous government’s record of waste and mismanagement.The work ahead will be difficult, but the proper management of public finances is a moral imperative that can no longer be ignored.”

BACKGROUND INFORMATION

Report of the Independent Financial Commission of Inquiry