CALGARY: The Aboriginal Division of the Canadian Taxpayers Federation responded today to the auditor general's annual report on Nunavut.

"The auditor general found the 2003-2004 financial statements were tabled almost two years late. This is pathetically late, and a breach of both federal and territorial laws," stated CTF director, Tanis Fiss.

The auditor noted that the late financial statements had significant errors that lead the territorial government to cut $17 million off the surplus.

"As a result of late and sloppy financial statements, MLAs and senior bureaucrats are basing spending decisions on faulty data which opens the government up to mistakes and even fraud," said Fiss.

The Nunavut government spends $1 billion per year and employees more than 2,300.

"It is unbelievable in 2006, Nunavut still uses manual records for leave instead of a computerized system. This has lead to a lack of proper controls and resulted in about 10 per cent of leave payment made without proper authorization," Fiss concluded.