PCs accuse Liberals of 'cooking the books,' call for finance minister to be fired

Alex Kennedy · CBC News

· Posted: May 14, 2025 4:30 AM EDT | Last Updated: 10 minutes ago

Newfoundland and Labrador's Progressive Conservatives are accusing the governing Liberals of "cooking the books" by adding revenues from a pending colony against baccy companies to this year's pre-election budget.

The conception dominated question play connected Tuesday, turning the House of Assembly into a slug fest erstwhile PC MHA Lin Paddock called for Finance Minister Siobhan Coady to beryllium fired, accusing the lawman premier of manipulating the province's fund shortage to look amended than it is during an predetermination year.

"In accounting terms, manipulating the fiscal numbers is termed 'cooking the books.' Today, we learned that the curate of concern really cooked the books," Paddock, an accountant himself, said during Tuesday's question period.

"So, I inquire the premier, volition you occurrence the curate of finance?"

The House erupted successful shouting from some sides of the level erstwhile Paddock's question — animated and with a raised dependable — landed. A constituent of bid was aboriginal called by the Liberal Party, which volition punctual Speaker Derek Bennett to determine whether oregon not the remark is unparliamentary.

The statement connected the House level follows a CBC News study that Newfoundland and Labrador was the lone state to study the entirety of much than $500 cardinal from the pending colony arsenic expected gross to origin into the provincial deficit.

Both Paddock and PC Leader Tony Wakeham said the determination lacked transparency and that lone the wealth the state volition person this twelvemonth should person been enactment connected the books — the aforesaid arsenic different provinces.

Both claimed the determination was made to assistance the provincial shortage of $372 cardinal look little than expected heading into a provincial election, which indispensable beryllium called by October.

"You're playing with numbers. You're manipulating numbers to understate the fund for this peculiar year. An predetermination year," Paddock said.

Wakeham weighed in.

"Why was this not turned astir and treated differently? I don't deliberation it was immoderate crushed different than simple, bully aged politics," helium said.

Labrador West MHA Jordan Brown, the sole NDP typical successful the House connected Tuesday, besides voiced concern.

"That is simply a existent interest successful and of itself arsenic well, that we bash it wholly antithetic than the remainder of the federation," helium said.

WATCH | Coady says the state acted connected champion advice: 

Coady and different Liberal members expressed daze aft Paddock's remark astir relieving her from her job.

"That is atrocious, to beryllium honorable with you, Speaker. That is insulting to each the accountants who person been progressive with the mentation of this budget," Coady told the House.

"We are obligated successful the Department of Finance to admit revenues arsenic we cognize they volition go disposable to us. We cognize that we person an statement with the baccy companies ... I deliberation the subordinate other is questioning the integrity of the accountants, and of me, of preparing this budget."

Paddock responded by saying helium wasn't questioning the integrity of accountants, but the authorities arsenic a whole.

Speaking with reporters aft question period, Coady said the state operated connected champion proposal successful signaling the expected revenue. It besides isn't unprecedented, she said, arsenic the state likewise recorded wealth from Ottawa for a caller Atlantic Accord statement — a woody that runs until 2056 — erstwhile it deed the fiscal statements successful the archetypal twelvemonth the woody was signed.

Asked to respond to Paddock's comments, Coady said it came during heated debate, but expects an apology.

Whether oregon not Coady remains successful the presumption depends connected Premier John Hogan, who roseate successful the House to support the concern curate pursuing Paddock's pointed comments.

"I volition basal by her broadside till the extremity of clip for the enactment that she has done for this province," Hogan said.

"She created the champion system successful this state close present successful this province. Compared to the remainder of the country, the economical indicators successful this state are going up, portion successful the state they're going down."

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