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“I should think people would be very interested to know how we’ve done. The auditor general advises they will be in a position to issue the certificate next week, but that may be for someone else other than I.”

Typically, the government introduces the year-end public accounts in July, after they have been fully audited by the auditor general and contain a letter with any qualifications or concerns the auditor might have.

But with the Liberals expected to be defeated on a confidence vote Thursday, the party would not last in government long enough to deliver on the good news it says is contained in its economic forecast.

NDP Leader John Horgan, who could become the next premier once the Liberal government is defeated, criticized the Liberals for the decision.

“It’s unprecedented to release the public accounts before they’ve been reviewed by the auditor general,” he said in an interview.

“Again, it’s just more distraction and dangling of issues before (the media) and the public that take away from the fact this government is illegitimate. They have been staying overly long and they are going to go to the extraordinary efforts of pretending the books have been audited when they haven’t been.”

Auditor General Carol Bellringer said in an interview that the government’s early release was “unusual.”

“We were trying to find out if it’s ever happened before,” she said.

She described de Jong’s figures as a “draft” that may or may not end up reflecting the final numbers.