Interim Liberal leader Roger Melanson speaks during question period on Nov. 24, 2021. (Image: Legislative Assembly of New Brunswick/video capture)
New Brunswick’s interim Liberal leader has asked the auditor general to perform a mid-year audit of the province’s finances.
Roger Melanson accuses the premier of “manipulating” recent fiscal updates amid wage negotiations with CUPE New Brunswick.
During the first-quarter fiscal update in mid-October, the province projected own-source revenue to be $145 million higher than budgeted.
Five weeks later, when the second-quarter numbers came out, that number had increased to $382 million.
“Were you doing this because you were negotiating with the labour movement and wanted to show them we were in worse fiscal shape? Is that the reason, premier?” Melanson said during question period on Wednesday.
During the same time period, the province’s projected surplus climbed from $37.7 million to $89.1 million.
But Higgs denied any number manipulation, arguing that a lot of the updated revenue figures came in at the last minute.
He said they also announced the second-quarter numbers before they were officially released and while negotiations were still happening.
“Talk is cheap, facts are important,” said Higgs.
Melanson said while a mid-year audit is “abnormal,” he thinks it is critical and hopes the auditor general goes through with it.
“I think it’s important that we trust the numbers that are being disclosed, not only for New Brunswickers but for our creditors and investors,” he said.
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