COME CLEAN ON PRISON COSTS

The Harper government's secrecy about the costs of its law-and-order
legislation leaves it looking either incompetent or undemocratic.

And whatever the explanation, the failure betrays the basic
conservative principles the party espoused in seeking office.

The crime legislation will mean higher costs. Mandatory minimum
sentences and the elimination of two-forone credit for pre-trial jail
time will mean more people will be locked up for longer periods.

Parliamentary budget officer Kevin Page, the independent officer who
scrutinizes government's financial plans, estimates that eliminating
the two-for-one credit alone would mean an extra 4,200 people in jail
at any given time, about a 12 per cent increase.

The cost -for prison construction and operations -would add about $2
billion to the federal budget and $3 billion to provincial expenditures.

The government disagrees. But it has also refused to release its
estimates of the cost of the crime measures, claiming they are cabinet secrets.

That's ridiculous. The public paid for the cost estimates to be
prepared. Taxpayers will pay for the prisons. They have a right to
know how much, so they can decide if the investment is worthwhile and
communicate their views.

And MPs -including Conservative MPs -certainly have a right to know
what the cost will be before they vote on the legislation. Keeping
the information secret attacks the right of members of Parliament to
do their basic job of deciding if legislation is in the public interest.

MPs might, after considering the costs of new prisons and more
guards, still conclude the legislation was in the public interest. Or
they might conclude that the U.S. has proven that locking up more and
more citizens does nothing to reduce crime rates while costing
taxpayers billions.

The government's secrecy is an abuse of the public and Parliament
- -including Conservative MPs -that makes it impossible for elected
representatives to do one of their most fundamental jobs: Ensuring
the public's money is spent wisely.

Stephen Harper promised accountability, openness, a functioning
democracy and competent decision-making based on facts. His
government is violating every one of those principles with this secrecy.