By Mario deSntis, June 21, 1999

In our past articles we have shown how Premier Romanow's lack of integral leadership is breaking down Saskatchewan rule of law(1) and providing governmental budgetary directions by playing the number game(2). The WCB (Workers Compensation Board) has learned very well the new rule of law set by our Premier Romanow(3)and has been defrauding the Saskatchewan people of their right to account for their public expenditures. The WCB has questioned for years the authority of the Provincial Auditor to audit the WCB, and has consistently maintained a corrupted accountability of its operations, disregarded regulations, and broken the law(4)(5)(6).

Today, the WCB refuses to be a public agency, refuses to be subject to the disclosure requirements set out by the Standing Committee on Public Account (PAC), refuses to follow the recommendations of the Canadian Institute of Chartered Accountants (CICA), refuses to comply with the directive of the Treasury Board, refuses to follow the audit framework recommended by the Report of the Task Force on Roles, Responsibilities and Duties of Auditors(7). In the end, the WCB considers itself a completely autonomous agency owned by the employers(8), with the liberty to set its own subjective accounting procedures, mismanage its operations, and provide meaningless and inconsistent financial statements.

The WCB is presently operating in an environment of corruption and incompetence which can be easily comprehended by the following statement of the Provincial Auditor "...the WCB's 1998 financial statements would and should be amended as follows:

• revenues should be reduced by $61 million to reflect the decision made by the WCB in1998 to provide employers with three rebates;
• net income should be reduced by $61 million to reflect the lower revenues;
• liabilities should be increased by $38 million to reflect the fact the WCB still owes employers a portion of the third rebate; and
• the overall balance for the WCB's reserves and injury funds should be reduced by $38 million..."(9)

These gross errors of the WCB's 1998 financial statements along with the staunch refusal by the WCB to be audited by the Provincial Auditor, are very serious indications that frauds could have been taking place at the WCB for many years.

Endnotes

1. Premier Romanow Is Breaking Down Saskatchewan's Rule Of Law, by Mario deSantis, June 19, 1999. Published in the North East Internet News

2. A short commentary on the budget: A Number Game, by Mario deSantis, April 1, 1999. Published in the North East Internet News

3. SUN's Strike and Premier Romanow's Paper Legislation, by Mario deSantis, April 22, 1999. Published in the North Central Internet News

4. Report of the Provincial Auditor to the Legislative Assembly of Saskatchewan: 1996 Spring Report, pages 385-391 www.auditor.sk.ca

5. Report of the Provincial Auditor to the Legislative Assembly of Saskatchewan: 1997 Fall Report, Volume 2, pages 307-321. Note: to understand the level of corruption it is worth to point out that even the Department of Justice concluded that the WCB was not subject to "The Provincial Auditor Act", page 310 www.auditor.sk.ca

6. Report of the Provincial Auditor to the Legislative Assembly of Saskatchewan: 1998 Spring Report, pages 13-20 www.auditor.sk.ca

7. Report of the Provincial Auditor to the Legislative Assembly of Saskatchewan: 1999 Spring Report, pages 17-28 www.auditor.sk.ca

8. Report of the Provincial Auditor to the Legislative Assembly of Saskatchewan: 1999 Spring Report, page 22 www.auditor.sk.ca

9. Report of the Provincial Auditor to the Legislative Assembly of Saskatchewan: 1999 Spring Report, page 19 www.auditor.sk.ca