‘Bigger fish to fry’: NS Minister on possible audit

HALIFAX – The minister responsible for overseeing the public service commission says there are bigger issues than personal services contracts for the auditor general to study.

“In a $10-billion budget we’re looking at $5 million, there’s bigger fish to fry,” said Labi Kousoulis, minister for the Public Service Commission.

The comments come after Auditor General Michael Pickup said Wednesday his office is considering launching a full audit of personal services contracts.

READ MORE: N.S. Auditor General considering audit of personal services contracts

Questions have been swirling around personal services contracts since premier Stephen McNeil’s former chief of staff Kirby McVicar suggested he could arrange one for Dartmouth East MLA Andrew Younger’s wife.

Personal services contracts are a standard way for the government to hire people for short-term projects or for highly-specialized work. However, the Canadian Taxpayer’s Federation is adding its voice to call for an audit because of McVicar’s comments.

“We need a clean slate to know whether any of these contracts are used for political purposes like (McVicar) promised to Mr. Younger’s wife,” said Kevin Lacey, Atlantic Canada director for the federation.

READ MORE: ‘Dealt with’: Premier accepts McVicar’s resignation

There are 187 personal services contracts worth more than $11.1 million. Of that almost $5.4 million are for standard legislative services like caucus staff. The remaining $5.7 million is used for short-term contracts in a variety of government departments.  The government says the contracts are used for jobs that don’t need a permanent position.

“I don’t have any concern with the oversight there’s mechanisms in place, the budget is approved by treasury board and the managers are responsible for their hires,” Kousoulis said.

However, personal-services contracts don’t have to go through a competitive process, making them less transparent, Lacey said.

“These personal-services contracts are contracts that are designed to skirt the normal process for hiring a public servant,” he said.

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Pickup will decide by January whether to launch an audit.