In the wake of the uproar over the decision by a committee of the legislature not to re-appoint auditor general John Doyle, Premier Christy Clark has vowed to reform the process.
Clark called the the current system "profoundly flawed" during a news conference on Friday in Vancouver and said her government will introduce legislation this spring to change it. Currently a standing committee of MLAs meets to decide if an auditor general should get an additional six-year term and the bipartisan group must come to a unanimous decision.
The Opposition NDP was upset when Liberal members of the committee blocked the re-appointment of Doyle due to the perception the government was unhappy with his critiques.
"I do not believe it's the right process when we have independent officers of the legislature like this one - who are in a natural conflict with the government - to every six years be coming in and perhaps asking to have their job back," Clark said. "I think it creates a difficult conflict."
Instead, Clark is proposing the term of the auditor general be extended to eight years, but that appointees be limited to just one term.
In the meantime, she has suggested to the Liberal members of the selection committee that Doyle should be given an additional two years on the job.











