The quest for accountability in Newfoundland and Labrador
By: DUNN, Christopher
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ArticlePublisher: Toronto : IPAC, Summer 2004Canadian Public Administration : the journal of the Institute of Public Administration of Canada 47, 2, p. 184-206Abstract: This article examines the meaning of accountability in the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador from both a substantive and a procedural perspective; the three distinct eras in the provinces political administration history; the stages in the statutory evolution of the comptroller and auditor function; the provinces experience in the Confederation era with the concept of democratic accountability; and the prospects for the future of accountability. The author reveals that the auditors department or office went for most of a century with little in the way of institutional independence. Government has been hostile to both the extension of the accoutrements of legislative accountability in general and to the notion of increasing the powers of the auditor. What limited independence was mustered and the few challenges raised towards the government of the day were as a result of the professional ethics of Newfoundland auditors, the aid of other federal and provincial auditors, and the spirit of the age. Even in the modern day, Newfoundland has plenty more leeway for reform. The article presents four scenarios of alternative futures for accountability and the auditor general function in the province. One features no change, and the other three contemplate the victories of the independence lobby, the managerialist lobby, and the democratic lobby
This article examines the meaning of accountability in the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador from both a substantive and a procedural perspective; the three distinct eras in the provinces political administration history; the stages in the statutory evolution of the comptroller and auditor function; the provinces experience in the Confederation era with the concept of democratic accountability; and the prospects for the future of accountability. The author reveals that the auditors department or office went for most of a century with little in the way of institutional independence. Government has been hostile to both the extension of the accoutrements of legislative accountability in general and to the notion of increasing the powers of the auditor. What limited independence was mustered and the few challenges raised towards the government of the day were as a result of the professional ethics of Newfoundland auditors, the aid of other federal and provincial auditors, and the spirit of the age. Even in the modern day, Newfoundland has plenty more leeway for reform. The article presents four scenarios of alternative futures for accountability and the auditor general function in the province. One features no change, and the other three contemplate the victories of the independence lobby, the managerialist lobby, and the democratic lobby
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