B.C. legislature keeps ‘messy’ financial statements: auditor general

VICTORIA – B.C.’s auditor general says the provincial legislature’s financial records have been messy and full of substantial irregularities for the last three years.

John Doyle says he has identified a large number of significant and serious issues in the books that have led him to conclude that he can’t say if the information is correct.

Doyle’s office examined financial statements for fiscal years 2009, 2010 and 2011.

The scathing review comes a day after he also panned Finance Minister Kevin Falcon’s release of the latest public accounts, saying the government understated the deficit by $520 million.

Falcon disagreed with the assessment, saying B.C. has followed accounting practices used across North America and is on track to balancing its budget by 2013-2014.

Doyle has recommended the legislature take immediate steps to address the deficiencies he believes his office has identified.