On unwanted powers

The Cons may be eager to toss as much money and power as they can at Canada's Auditor General in order to try to find new dirt on the former Lib regime. But Sheila Fraser isn't buying into the Cons' plans:

Auditor General Sheila Fraser has turned down an offer of more funding from the Conservative government to "follow the money" and track down citizens, groups or businesses who have received $1 million or more in federal grants over five years.

Fraser told senators Wednesday she does not plan to use new powers under the government's accountability bill to audit the grant recipients because it is up to department chiefs to ensure the grants are handed out properly with spending safeguards in place.

"I expect to 'follow the dollar' only in very rare and unusual circumstances," Fraser told the Senate legal affairs committee studying Bill C-2. "We are not seeking additional funding to carry out this expanded mandate."...

(T)he Conservatives...hoped to rely on Fraser to unearth money wasted in the government-wide grant system that could be diverted to other spending initiatives or tax cuts.

"The federal government spends some $26 billion per year on grants and contributions to individuals, companies and non-government organizations," the Conservative platform said in a section devoted to strengthening the power of the auditor general.

It said Prime Minister Stephen Harper would allow the auditor general to "follow the money" by providing her with the authority to audit records, documents, and accounts of any individual, institution or company that receives grants, contributions or transfer payments under an agreement with the federal government.

Fraser said after testifying at the Senate committee she has informed the government she does not want the extra money or the job and will leave it up to the departments to ensure the grants are being handed out properly.

"We're saying no," Fraser told reporters. "We've told government quite clearly that we do not believe we need any extra funds for this because we would use those powers, if granted, only in very rare and exceptional circumstances. It would be part of our other audits. We're not planning to go and do any special work in that area."

Needless to say, Frank Luntz and his disciples among the Cons are probably disappointed that Fraser recognizes that her role isn't to meet the Cons' one-year window in which to gather dirt on the Libs.

But for Canadians generally, the move shows that Fraser is entirely willing to apply her principles consistently, and isn't eager to see her office run through large amounts of money for political purposes any more than any other government department. Which should only give her message all the more weight as the Cons' record too comes under review.