CP: Parliament, spy agency contracts exempted from ombudsman's scrutiny

[tuvor]

OTTAWA — Prime Minister Stephen Harper and his cabinet have exempted contracts with Parliament and Canada's spy agency from oversight by a new ombudsman's post that was central to the 2006 Conservative election campaign.

The government slipped the exemptions through last week in regulations that empower the contract procurement ombudsman under the Accountability Act - flagship legislation the government introduced as its first bill soon after taking office.

Opposition MPs were taken by surprise at the exemptions, saying they were unaware the Senate, the House of Commons and the Canadian Security Intelligence Service would be excluded from the ombudsman's statutory duty to review contracts for "fairness, openness and transparency."

The exemptions also mean anyone who has a complaint about contracts to supply goods or services to Parliament - including contracts with offices of MPs, senators or CSIS, will be unable to have them reviewed by the ombudsman.

http://canadianpress.google.com/article/ALeqM5hJS90PcsLEdcvOpNpQ7UeeFE3E3g