Finance ministry reviews of TransLink and B.C. Ferry Services Inc. were to be done by the end of September, but the minister who requested the reviews said last week she remains unaware of the findings even though some of her staff have seen them.
On July 28 the government announced comptroller general Cheryl Wenezenki-Yolland would by Sept. 30 complete reviews of both agencies to look at “all aspects of the operations, from regulatory environment to corporate structure to financial performance.” A public report including recommendations was to follow.
“Our plan is to receive the report, to review it, to take some time to think about it and then we'll make it public,” said Transportation and Infrastructure minister Shirley Bond.
But while the report may not have been finalized, Bond acknowledged, Wenezenki-Yolland's office has been sharing the preliminary results with at least some officials for several weeks.
“She certainly, I think, has briefed our staff in terms of some of those findings,” said Bond. “I have not seen the report and I'm not aware of the recommendations she's planning to make. There's been obviously some discussion with ministry staff, and a discussion about that.”
Bond said she expects to see the report within the next two weeks, but declined to say when it would be released to the public.
Update: Minister Bond said today, Nov. 2, that she has now received the report on TransLink and B.C. Ferries and hopes to release it publicly by late November. Public Eye has video of today's scrum here and last week's here.
Andrew MacLeod is The Tyee’s Legislative Bureau Chief in Victoria. Reach him here.
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North of Hope
2 years ago
Bond needs a guide
“She certainly, I think, has briefed our staff in terms of some of those findings,” said Bond. This is definite proof that she needs someone to tell her what to say before she opens her mouth. Where is Doug Walls ( her former guide in Prince George) when we need him?
freebear
2 years ago
Vetting by govt staff before release?
“I have not seen the report and I'm not aware of the recommendations she's planning to make. There's been obviously some discussion with ministry staff, and a discussion about that.”
Sounds to me like they are crafting the recommendations with government staff, to suit a government/political agenda.
And I hear on the radio they are going to end contracts with charities re: local gaming revenues.
(UPBC) User Pay British Columbia instead of super natural!
crankypants
2 years ago
Not surprising
It takes time to make the numbers reflect the slant the government wants to portray. After all, we wouldn't want any of the ineffeciencies to reflect badly on the BC Libs. Also they have to find ways of tying any efficiencies to the NDP.