HALIFAX: The following are the speaking notes from Auditor General Kim Adair at a news conference on Thursday morning Feb. 20.
“Good morning and thank you for coming on such short notice.
I’d like to start right off with my main message.
I’ve respectfully requested the proposed changes to the Auditor General Act be withdrawn, and to have the opportunity to consult to address government’s underlying concerns.
The Core values of this Office – which are behind you on the wall – are Independence, Integrity and Impact. Those values are tied to this Office, no matter who sits in this chair. And it’s been that way for more than a century.
Independence is key for legislative audit offices across this country to do their jobs. It means being free from outside control and influence. As a result, every Auditor General Act has this fundamental cornerstone in their legislation.
What’s being proposed here in Nova Scotia is a substantial change to the way our office operates. We have serious concerns that the changes tabled in this bill will erode the independence of this Office going forward:
- These changes could mean any report the Government doesn’t like wouldn’t be made public.
- The numerous veto powers could result in fewer public reports.
The most important outcome of our reports are the recommendations to improve government programs and service.
The potential for these recommendations to remain confidential could limit Government accountability.
Lastly, the ability to remove the Auditor General without cause, combined with the ability to control our public reporting, impacts the independence, integrity and objectivity of the Office. In most provinces in Canada, there has to be cause to remove an AG; so Nova Scotia would become an outlier.
There has been no consultation with our Office on these changes, we didn’t know they were coming, and we had no input.
I’d like to point out, under our existing processes, we already have practices in place to vet the drafts of our reports – several times, in fact – prior to release; including the ability to share with Ministers and Executive Council in advance of our reports being tabled in the House of Assembly.
I’ve been here for almost four years and in that time, have made more than 200 recommendations. With a few exceptions, government has agreed to almost all of our recommendations for improvement.
We work hard with the departments to make sure our recommendations are reasonable, fair, and practical before we public release our reports.
Throughout our audit process, I make a point to have open communication with the Deputy Ministers involved.
Yesterday, I met with Government Officials to discuss these changes, and I requested the AG Act amendments of Bill 1 be withdrawn. I’ve asked for the ability to consult, to determine if we can mutually address Governments concerns while continuing to maintain the independence of the Office.
In closing, I want to mention the numerous audits, with significant impacts to Nova Scotians, that this office has completed over the years such as:
- MLA Expenses
- P3 Schools Audit
- Ground Ambulance Service
- Violence in Nova Scotia Public Schools
- Protection of Children in the Care of the Minister
We select audit topics that we feel are are important to Nova Scotians and will result in improvements.
It’s possible that under these proposed changes, some or all of these audits may not have been made public.
It’s normal that Auditors General and governments, from time to time, may have a difference of opinion; on occasion we agree to disagree. It’s in those instances in particular you need an independent Auditor General.
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Kim Adair
NS Auditor General
News Conference February 20, 2025
Original Video: Office of the Auditor General on YouTube
Audio Edit: Dagley Media
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Minister Lohr responds with a statement
“Our government respects the independence, integrity, and impact of the work of the Auditor General. Legislation brought forward this week simply aligns Nova Scotia with provinces such as Alberta and Manitoba.
“To suggest these amendments impact the independence and integrity of the Auditor General is false and sheds doubt on the independence and integrity of auditors general working effectively in other jurisdictions.
“This morning, the Auditor General recognized that “with a few exceptions, government has agreed to almost all” of the more than 200 recommendations made over the last four years.
“We look forward to future reports, including the one Premier Houston requested regarding out-of-province healthcare services so that government can remove barriers to accessing care.”
