Roundup: Combing through the Public Accounts

The public accounts were released yesterday, which give a detailed accounting of where money was actually spent. Whether or not MPs will take the time to compare the public accounts with the last year’s estimates – you know, like they’re supposed to in order to hold the government to account – remains to be seen, but in the meantime, We The Media have combed through them for salacious details. Things like a strip club being among the recipients for G20 compensation, or the loss of $1.9 million in stolen government property – including weapons from the military.

The Parliamentary Budget Officer – who is no doubt also combing these documents – is waiting on that legal opinion about his mandate, incidentally.

Food bank use in the country is still on the rise, despite the “fragile economic recovery” and all of those net new jobs that the government keeps touting.

Liberal senators are pointing out that senators are the biggest losers with the MP pension changes, as they pay more into the system, and get less out of it. Not that the public will have any sympathy for them, given the sheer mythology and misinformation about Senators out there.

Jesse Brown raises some pretty concerning alarm bells around the security of our new e-passports.

Google Canada’s manager as on the Hill yesterday to be grilled by the Commons Ethics, Access to Information and Privacy committee. Apparently he used to work for the Privacy Commissioner, and he wants you to know that Google takes privacy and personal information seriously.

The government is winding down their funding of the Canadian Conference of the Arts, apparently because this group receives the majority of their funding from the government, and this apparently needs to stop. Because you know how the arts community in this country is just swimming with money, and all of that.

The planned new Windsor-Detroit bridge apparently threatens some endangered plant species in the area.

Here is more deconstruction of the apparent myths surrounding youth unemployment.

Here is your recap of the political shows last night, with the interesting dynamic between discussions on food bank use and tax havens.

And the Commons heritage committee is looking at the video game industry in Canada. Apparently tax credits are great things.