Kevin Page

For the American actor, see Kevin Page (actor).
Kevin Page
1st Parliamentary Budget Officer
In office
2008 – March 22, 2013
Succeeded by Sonia L'Heureux (interim)
Personal details
Born Thunder Bay, Ontario, Canada
Nationality Canadian
Children Tyler Page, Jesse Page and Chelsey Page
Alma mater Queen's University
Website Parliamentary Budget Officer

Kevin Page (born 1957) is a Canadian economist. He was the first ever Parliamentary Budget Officer for Canada. He was appointed to the position on March 25, 2008,[1] and his term was completed on March 22, 2013. He now teaches at the University of Ottawa.[2]

Early life

Page was born in Thunder Bay, Ontario, to James and Stella Page. A graduate of Fort William Collegiate Institute, he later studied at Lakehead University, went to Simon Fraser University on a golf scholarship and took his M.A. in economics from Queen's University, Kingston, Ontario.[3][4]

Career

Before being appointed to the position of Parliamentary Budget Officer, on March 25 2008, Kevin Page had for twenty-seven years worked as a civil servant in the Canadian government with experience in central agencies and line departments including: Finance Canada; the Treasury Board Secretariat; the Privy Council Office; the Department of Fisheries and Oceans; Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada; and Human Resources and Social Development Canada.[5][6]

The Parliamentary Budget Officer, is an independent officer of the Library of Parliament who reports to the Speakers of the House of Commons and Senate.[7] The Parliamentary Budget Officer's responsibilities include providing an independent analysis of the state of the economy, the nation's finances and the government's expenditure plan, and an analysis of the expenditure estimates of any government department or agency when requested to do so by a Parliamentary committee that's reviewing those estimates. The officer is also mandated to provide an estimate of costs for any proposal that falls within the jurisdiction of the Parliament of Canada.[8]

His approach of questioning government estimates and issuing reports that are at odds with official government forecasts has created controversy. "There are former parliamentarians saying I should be held in contempt of Parliament and should be fired, but I’m okay with them saying that. That’s just part of the debate."[9] He has been unapologetic about his desire to give the Parliamentary Budget Office a significant role in informing Parliament and Canadians about government finances, saying "I went to the OECD, and they said the Americans have the best budget office, bar none. Why can't we be the best in five years? If that's overstepping my mandate, then I'm earning my money."[10]

Family

His children are Tyler Page, Jesse Page and Chelsey Page. Tyler was killed in 2006 at the age of 20 after being struck by a train while walking home along a railway line near Perth, Ontario, and there is now a bursary in Tyler's name at Algonquin College's Perth campus.[11]

References

  1. ↑ Cynthia Münster|The Hill Times|First ever Parliamentary budget officer Kevin Page slips into his new post
  2. ↑ http://www2.macleans.ca/2013/08/09/a-real-page-turner/
  3. ↑ http://www2.parl.gc.ca/Sites/PBO-DPB/documents/Standing%20Committee%20on%20Public%20Accounts.pdf
  4. ↑ Kevin Page: The unlikely enforcer. By: Geddes, John, Maclean's, 00249262, 1/25/2010, Vol. 123, Issue 2
  5. ↑ Geddes, John (2010-01-25). "Kevin Page: The Unlikely Enforcer". Macleans. Retrieved 2009-10-23.
  6. ↑ "PBO Staff". Retrieved 2011-04-04.
  7. ↑
  8. ↑ Münster cited in References
  9. ↑ http://www.canadianbusiness.com/managing/strategy/article.jsp?content=20090615_10006_10006 Canadian Business Magazine
  10. ↑ http://www.canadianbusiness.com/managing/strategy/article.jsp?content=20090615_10006_10006 Canadian Business Magazine
  11. ↑ http://www.canadianbusiness.com/managing/strategy/article.jsp?content=20090615_10006_10006 Canadian Business Magazine
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