Liberals are calling on the Harper government to honour a motion passed in the House today to provide specific details of the $1-billion G8/G20 security boondoggle.

“Parliament has spoken today in passing our opposition day motion that demands accountability from this government for the way it has bungled the G8/G20 summit,” said Liberal Public Safety Critic Mark Holland, who put forward the motion. “This is Canadians’ money, and they deserve some answers. We expect the Conservatives to abide by this vote.”

The motion calls on the government to provide a detailed breakdown to Canadians of how the money earmarked for security is being spent and an explanation of how the security budget was permitted to spiral out of control, from a budgeted $179 million to the current $1 billion.

“When former Prime Minister Jean Chrétien realised the costs of hosting the G8 in Ottawa, he moved the whole thing to Kananaskis,” said Mr. Holland. “That’s what a responsible prime minister does – not wait until the last moment and stiff taxpayers with an enormous bill.”

Media reports now estimate that the summit costs could rise as high as $1.2 billion.  The Auditor General has already said she will conduct her own examination of the cost overrun.

“Canadians are justifiably proud that our country is hosting these summits of world leaders, but are outraged that practical concerns lost out to political calculations, resulting in the most expensive 72 hours in history,” said Mr. Holland. “Even worse, the agenda for the summit has been just as poorly managed by the Conservatives, with climate change pushed to the margins, a divisive maternal health initiative that excludes reproductive rights, and no solid proposals on bank regulations.”