Provincial audit sets the scene for major changes

The Doug Ford government has created its share of angst this week, first with the decision to revert to 20-year-old sex education, and again with news former British Columbia premier Gordon Campbell has been hired to lead an inquiry into Ontario’s finances.

There is little good about the first, but the second is, at least, a mixed bag.

Ford is doing what he promised to do. He has hired a guru to study the province’s financial health, and will pay independent outside auditors to go “line-by-line” through the books. Between the inquiry team and the auditors, problems and inaccuracies will be uncovered and corrective action recommended.

That can’t be a bad thing, especially since the previous government couldn’t agree with Ontario auditor general Bonnie Lysyk about the size of the deficit. Differing accounting policies led Lysyk to conclude it’s nearly $12 billion while the Wynne government said it was $6.7 billion. If it does nothing else — and it had better, since Ford’s project will cost about a million — the inquiry can get to the bottom of that.

Campbell is an interesting choice. When he was premier of B.C. he brought in a carbon tax, which Ford has said he will never allow. There are also some ominous overtones to the appointment. Campbell was a cutter. He cut welfare rates. He cut jobs and services. He even took away free bus passes for seniors living in poverty.

That said, he’s not doing this alone. Aside from the auditors, Campbell will be assisted by respected forensic accountant Al Rosen and Michael Horgan, a former deputy finance minister for the federal government. They will all be paid $50,000 each to have the work done by end of August.

Hopefully, they will deliver evidence-based recommendations as opposed to partisan ones.

Ford’s critics are quick to denounce the inquiry as a witch hunt. To a point it is. But that’s hardly unique. Dalton McGuinty did it when he took over from Mike Harris. The Harper Conservatives did it when they ousted the Paul Martin Liberals. So it may not be nice, and it may be piling on an already vanquished foe, but it’s fairly standard procedure.

The bigger worry is what the inquiry might signal. Ford is happy to stomp the already dead Liberals, but it’s unlikely that’s all he wants. He needs billions in cuts, and even that won’t balance with his expensive election promises.

So who’s likely to get hurt? You know Ford won’t do anything that might make his base suffer. So social conservatives, Bay Street blue suits and affluent businesspeople probably don’t need to worry. Who does that leave? Who will pay the price for the needed $6 billion in cuts? Students? Teachers? Health care consumers? Hospitals? Vulnerable citizens on social assistance and government support?

Ford apparently doesn’t trust the province’s own financial watchdogs, the auditor general and the office of financial accountability. Presumably they’ll be on the chopping block, as well. Otherwise, the inquiry is duplicating work the government is already supposed to be doing.

There’s nothing wrong with getting a clear and accurate snapshot of Ontario’s finances. It’s what Ford does with that data that should worry us.

Who will pay the price for the needed $6 billion in cuts? Students? Teachers? Health care consumers? Hospitals? Vulnerable citizens on social assistance and government support?