By February, 11, 2025, Nova Scotia’s auditor general has taken charge of the fight for more accountability over government spending. Ms. Kim Adair, the auditor general, has released a new report revealing that the province has spent over $7 billion over the past decade without a single vote in the legislature approving these expenditures. Her latest report details that in the 2023-24 fiscal year, the province spent $1.38 billion, which was 8.2% of the total government expenditures that year. She compared this figure to historical data and emphasized that in four out of the past five fiscal years, revenues have far exceeded budget forecasts, an opportunity for the province to spend that does not otherwise get approved.
Adair has called for changes to the province’s Finance Act to give the legislature more oversight authority over public funds not authorized by the legislature. She denies any promise the province has made toצותiskas Gate of Change in government accounting for labors. For the third consecutive year, Adair is urging increased scrutiny and reforms to ensure political accountability and ensure that political spending aligns with public need. Her report, published on February 11, 2025, serves as a cautionary tale for the province, reminding minds and institutions that political Spending does not equate to effective accountability, even when it goes beyond the scope of the legislature.
