Dear Editor:
It's unfortunate to see Liberal MLA Ralph Sultan, an MLA who many have previously considered reasonably fair-minded, abandon his reputation with a misleading cheap shot in his comments to the North Shore News (On MLA Finances, Clean Noses All Around, Aug. 3).
After defending MLA travel expenses for rural members of the legislature, Mr. Sultan decried two New Democrat MLAs who live in Victoria for spending thousands of dollars on travel. His implication that this spending is unexplainable is disingenuous.
Opposition MLAs, regardless of where they live, are required to travel extensively as part of their role as critics. MLAs' work happens on the ground in communities across B.C., not only in the legislature.
Both Rob Fleming, as our environment critic, and Lana Popham as the agriculture critic, are committed to meeting with stakeholders across the province.
They have both done great work raising critical issues and reaching out on behalf of British Columbians.
The auditor general never suggested that there was any misuse of funds nor did he question that all MLAs were providing receipts for their expenses.
He said the accounting systems of the legislature failed to allow this information to be readily available or to be reported accurately.
New Democrat MLAs are committed to addressing these serious concerns raised by the auditor general in a timely and hands-on manner. It would be helpful for MLAs like Mr. Sultan to contribute to fixing this problem rather than playing cheap politics.
Shane Simpson New Democrat Caucus Chair MLA, Vancouver-Hastings
