Liberal backbenchers take gentler approach with AG after premier's health-care criticism
Liberals let lie premier's suggestion AG over-stepped mandate
LiberalMLAsgot their chance to challenge Michael Pickup directly Wednesday, but instead of following thepremier's lead and questioning the auditor general about whether he overstepped his authority in his latest report, they offered relatively mild criticism of some of the report's findings.
It was a far cry from the tough questions Premier Stephen McNeilsuggested his Liberal team would subjectthe AG to Thursday, when he repeatedly told reporters he looked forward to receiving explanations from Pickup during his appearance before the public accounts committee.
Although the premier refused to be specific about how Pickup crossed the line in his performance audit of the Health Department and the Nova Scotia Health Authority,McNeilsuggested he should stick to examining fiscal matters only.
"Public policy is the right of those who sit in the House of Assembly," saidMcNeil. "It is then up to the public of Nova Scotia to pass judgment. That's why we have this thing called a general election."
'I have zero concern'
But that sentiment wasn't echoed by a single Liberal MLA at public accounts Wednesday. In fact, it was former NDP health minister Dave Wilson who called on Pickup to respond to the premier's accusations.
Pickup responded the way he has since last Thursday.
"I have zero concern that I am outside my mandate," Pickup replied, saying he viewed the comments as an opportunity to explain his job and his office's role.
Liberal MLAHugh MacKayoffered the most pointed criticism of the report,suggesting it was "unfair" for the AG to call the government's communications efforts about doctor recruitment and health-care reform "poor."
MacKay said the Department of Health issued dozens of news releases, posted frequently on social media and answered hundreds of questions from reporters every year.
"There's a great amount of communication vehicles, channels for disseminating information on health care, here to Nova Scotians," he told the committee.
"We believe that if the concentration is done strictly on the framework of the audit, that could be misleading to the public, who may not understand the purpose of the audit or the mechanisms of the audit, and will obviously be used for political points by some members."
MacKaybrushed by reporters on his way out of the committee, refusing to take questions. Fellow Liberal MLA Bill Horne also refused to speak to reporters after the meeting wrapped.
"It wasn't myturn to talk about it so I have no comment," he said, walking away from reporters.
"Really I don't have an opinion on that," said LiberalSuzanne Lohnes-Croft,when asked if she thought Pickup had stepped beyond the bounds of his mandate.
Ben Jessome, the designated spokesperson for the Liberal caucus, also refused to address the question of the auditor general's mandate head on. "Frankly I'm not here today to perpetuate a narrative of pitting the auditor general against the premier."
Wilson said it appeared the premier's comments were designed to draw attention away from a report critical of his government's handling of health-care problems.
"One would have to question, was it a tactic to change the channel? And I'm concerned that that is maybe what happened here," the New Democrat said.
Focus on the system
PC MLA Tim Houston told reporters that while "any attempt to undermine the credibility of the auditor general of the province is wrong," the focus should be on fixing deficiencies in the system.
"He made a series of recommendationswhich were all accepted by the people he made the recommendationsto," Houston said. "They all accepted his recommendations and accepted it as positive feedback on how to improve the system.
"I think that's the real message."
For his part, Pickup said he was glad to have had an opportunityto answer questions about his report.
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