Little wiggle room in new N.L. spending rules: Speaker

Politicians arriving for work in Newfoundland and Labrador's legislature are being given huge manuals containing what officials call the most explicit governance rules in Canada.

"The doors of the house of assembly are wide open, in theory and in practice," said Harvey Hodder, who is retiring as the legislature's speaker.

The thick binders spell out detail after detail on how and on what politicians may spend their allowances and are a consequence of a legislative spending scandal that rocked political circles in 2006.

Auditor General John Noseworthy revealed in a series of reports that five politicians had together received about $1.6 million more than their entitlements in constituency allowances. Four of them, including suspended house finance director Bill Murray, face fraud and other criminal charges.

Noseworthy's investigations culminated last month with a report that showed widespread double-billing and donations, not to mention nine politicians' use of allowances for personal expenses that included wine, artwork, luxury goods, flowers and clothing.

The new rulebook specifically names items that are off limits for spending or at least for submitting claims. No billing will be allowed for gifts, artwork, travel for family members and alcohol.

Hodder said the explicit details mean that claiming ignorance is no longer an acceptable excuse.

"Members can no longer say, 'My constituency assistant filled out the documents and I just signed it,' " he said.

"If you sign it, you're taking responsibility for it."

Derek Green, chief justice of the Newfoundland Supreme Court's trials division, reviewed the house of assembly's finances in a stinging report released in June.

The new documentation called the Members' Resources and Allowances Rules Manual implements Green's recommendations and will make it more difficult for errors to occur again.

"Our house will regain its rightful place as one of the most honourable institutions in this country," said Hodder, who said his office has received enquiries from outside the province.

'New page turned'

"These manuals are in great demand throughout Canada and in other jurisdictions as well," he said.

Kelvin Parsons, a Liberal politician who was cited in Noseworthy's last report for having located his constituency office in a building in which he had an interest, welcomed the new rules.

"We've had an election. We've got a new page turned," said Parsons.

"Let's move forward and live with the new rules and hopefully rebuild that trust in the public, and hopefully next time we won't see such a low voter turnout."

Only about 62 per cent of eligible voters took part in the Oct. 9 election.

While pundits cited complacency with the governing Progressive Conservatives,who took 43 seats, many politicians said they were concerned about public disgust with revelations from the reports by Noseworthy and Green.