Watchdog blasts Harper on costs of programs

The Winnipeg Free Press:

Ottawa - Canada's budget watchdog says the Harper government is still not forthcoming about the costs of its programs, and is low-balling the true cost of corporate tax cuts.

Parliamentary Budget Officer Kevin Page acknowledges the government has come forward with new information, but says it is still not meeting its responsibility to Parliament.

His report Friday, responding to a House finance committee request for information on three controversial programs, says data tabled on the cost of justice legislation leaves out analysis, key assumptions, methodologies and even basic statistics.

On the F-35 fighter jet purchase, the government's response does confirm some cost drivers but not all, he says.

And on corporate tax cuts, Page says the problem is now not lack of information, but whether it can be trusted.

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