The explanatory note to Bill 19 (2005), the Ministerial Accountability Bases, 2004-05, Amendment Act, says the Act: "provides increased bases for purposes of ministerial accountability under the Balanced Budget and Ministerial Accountability Act, to reflect additional expenditures". It might as well have said the Act allows the government to once again pay Ministers their bonuses.

On August 14, 2001, a government news release claimed new legislation "ties ministers' salaries directly to budget targets". Since then not one minister has suffered a penalty; that is not because of good management but because budgets are adjusted through the use of contingency funds or redefined by legislation so no minister loses a dime in personal pay.

Premier Campbell should admit that his scheme to hold ministers accountable was a sham to con the public. Opposition House Leader Joy MacPhail described Bill 19 as the "get the Liberal ministers off the hook from being accountable act." In the grand scheme of provincial politics littered with broken promises about building 5,000 long term care beds, selling BC Rail, expanding gambling and adequately funding child protection, deception on the managerial ability of the Campbell cabinet should come as no surprise.