As a Legislative committee tries to iron out privacy concerns over posting MLA expenses online, BC’s Health minister wants to know what the big deal is.
The privacy concerns are around constituency office staff and their pay but Mike DeJong says he has been posting that information on his MLA website for years.
“There is a global amount each month how much is being spent on rent, how much is being spent on salaries, how much is being spent on advertising, and the next step with respect to some of those expenditures I would like for the public to be able to click on and see for things like travel expenses and advertising for example the actual receipts.”
As for why others in Victoria can’t get on board DeJong said
“It is curious. Changing the culture is always very difficult I think it is beginning to happen I believe if we were talking about this a year from now it will be dramatically different but again the guiding principle is this if I am spending my own money thats my business if I am spending taxpayers money then the taxpayers who give it to us deserve to know how we are spending it.”
The Legislative Assembly Management Committee has promised to post expenses online as they address a damning financial audit.
But they say privacy concerns are one roadblock they have to deal with.
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