Rules prevent release of G8 report: Fraser

Auditor General Sheila Fraser said Wednesday she can't release her report on G8 spending because the rules will not allow her to do so.

NDP Leader Jack Layton hadsent a letter to Fraser suggesting a meeting amongst the four party leaders for this Thursday to work out a solution to releasing the final G8 report.

In a written response to Layton, Fraser said her duty is to Parliamentand the rules say she must submit the report to the Speaker of the House of Commons.

"When the House is not sitting it requires the Speaker to table the report on any of the first 15 days on which the House is sitting after the Speaker receives it," Fraser wrote.

Various leaks of draft versions of the report into federal spending on the G8/G20 summit were disclosed on Monday.

The Canadian Press reported earlier Monday that the Conservative government allegedly "misinformed" Parliament to win approval for a $50-million G8 fund that spread taxpayers' money on dubious projects in a Conservative riding.

But the Conservatives insist that all money has been accounted for and later drafts of the report do not include the language on Parliament being misinformed.

Conservative Leader Stephen Harper said Wednesdayhis party wantsto see the real report released.

"We have been very clear about this, but the auditor general's office is independent. We can't tell her what to do," hetold reportersafter the leaders' French-language debates in Ottawa.