AUDITOR GENERAL TO PROBE PAN AM GAMES THANKS TO ONTARIO PCs

QUEEN’S PARK – Ontario taxpayers will finally have more than Liberal math to rely on when it comes to knowing how much the Pan Am Games cost.

At the Public Accounts Committee this morning, members passed a motion tabled by Ontario PC Tourism, Culture and Sport Critic MPP Steve Clark asking the Auditor General to conduct a value-for-money audit of this summer’s games.

“I’m pleased committee members recognized what I’ve been calling for – an independent probe to tell us what these Games actually cost taxpayers,” said Clark. “Today is a proud day for the Ontario PC Caucus as we have consistently been demanding accountability and transparency from this government on the games file.”

Clark said the recent confusion between the Minister and the Premier over whether the Games were delivered on budget highlighted the need for an independent review.

“As I told the Minister in Question Period yesterday, we know how well the athletes performed because we can count the medals and personal bests,” said Clark. “But we can’t do that when it comes to the cost of the Games because, as Ontarians have learned over and over, this government’s numbers aren’t reliable.”

Clark also repeated his call for the Minister to wait for the results of the audit before allowing Pan Am executives to cash in on $5.7 million in performance bonuses.

“How can you reward someone before the Auditor General has even done her work and told us how they performed?” asked Clark. “I’m disappointed the Minister won’t support my request to put a freeze on these extravagant bonus payments. If he’s so confident in their performance, what’s the big rush?”