Pallister wants random audits of untendered contracts

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This article was published 31/03/2016 (3782 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Brian Pallister says the province will be a “better shopper” under a government he leads by reducing the use of untendered contracts and encouraging more audits of departmental and Crown corporation tendering practices.

Pallister said Manitobans pay some of the highest taxes in the country and “deserve a government that shops as carefully as they do”.

He said he would increase the powers of the province’s auditor general to conduct random audits of department and Crown corporation use of untendered contracts to ensure stronger transparency and accountability.

He noted that the auditor general has been critical of the government’s frequent use of untendered contracts, including for the STARS air ambulance service.

Pallister said a government he leads would only resort to untendered contracts under “exceptional services,” such as in emergency situations. 

The Tory leader said he would also eliminate a NDP government practice of “forced unionization” in the awarding of certain government and Manitoba Hydro construction contracts, which, he said, has cost taxpayers tens of millions of dollars over the years. Under the practice, non-unionized companies must pay a union the equivalent of union dues to participate in government tendering.

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“This is wrong. This should not happen. What it does is it drives up the cost of bidding,” Pallister said.