Convenient Timing

Couple of interesting developments of late, seems this proroguing has some real convenient timing if someone is trying to duck difficult questions.

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This from the Office of the parliamentary budget officer regarding the recent fiscal statement.

This category (measures for which little information has been provided) includes two items, on which the Government’s projection
of balanced budgets rests:

• The recognition of $2 billion in gains from the sale of assets yet to be identified; and
• Reductions in departmental spending realized from departmental reviews.

The assessment of fiscal risk would be improved if these items were presented with supporting documentation. For the departmental spending reductions, the risk associated with obtaining the estimated $6 billion in savings incorporated over the next four years can only be assessed if a list of the proposed reductions in departmental appropriations is provided. Further, to insure informed debate, the complete list of the approximately $2.3 billion in expected reductions in appropriations in 2009-10, including the value of the planned savings in hospitality, travel, and professional services expenditures, should be explicitly included in the 2009-10 Main Estimates when they are
tabled in the spring.

Parliamentarians would also benefit from further details on two additional issues: first, whether the liabilities related to the Afghanistan mission have been fully accounted for6; and second, how the $4.3 billion in revenues received from this year’s wireless spectrum auction have been incorporated into the Government’s fiscal projections.
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Then this from the Office of the Auditor General

Media Advisory: Reports of the Auditor General of Canada and of the Commissioner of the Environment and Sustainable Development to the House of Commons—Tabling of reports and media lock-up are being postponed
Ottawa, 4 December 2008—Reports from the Office of the Auditor General can only be tabled when Parliament is sitting, and tabling dates are planned with the Parliamentary schedule in mind. Therefore, due to the prorogation of Parliament, the December 2008 Reports of the Auditor General of Canada, Sheila Fraser, and of the Commissioner of the Environment and Sustainable Development, Scott Vaughan, will be tabled at a later date when the House of Commons is sitting.
The media lock-up planned for 9 December 2008 at the Ottawa Marriott Hotel is therefore cancelled.
The Office will advise the media when a new date for tabling its reports has been determined.

http://www.oag-bvg.gc.ca/internet/English/mr_20081209_e_0.html