Liberals are asking Parliament to approve $7 billion for the Treasury Board in a single vote, as part of this year’s main estimates. Measures adding up to $7 billion are listed in a one-page annex to the budget document. A spokesman for Treasury Board President Scott Brison said “this level of transparency is simply unprecedented,” and confirmed that an online spending tracker will be updated monthly. It is rare for the government to lump so much spending into one vote but there is one memorable example. In 2009, the Conservative government announced a $3-billion “emergency fund” in response to the financial crisis, which the opposition worried was just a “slush fund.” It ultimately helped fund a notorious gazebo in Treasury Board President Tony Clement’s riding.

Source: National Post May 01, 2018 16:30 UTC