Tracy Pellizzari: A Coalition of animal welfare groups says the BC SPCA's take on its financial outlook is way off. After the Society's Annual General Meeting last week, where a 4.6 million dollar deficit was revealed, Past-President Rick Sargent expressed optimism that the SPCA's plan to turn around their financial fortunes was working. He noted a new CEO and finance manager started to get spending under control in the last six months of 2003. The BC SPCA Animal Welfare Coalition says in the first quarter of this year the SPCA is already 900,000 dollars in the hole, paving the way for what they called "another stunning deficit in 2004." While Sargent placed part of the blame on the Provincial Government for not giving the SPCA more funding, the Coalition argues the top-heavy SPCA administration and a failure to provide accurate information to the public is really to blame. BC's Management Services Minister says she needs more time to look over 28 recommendations for updating the Freedom of Information Act before she makes any decisions. Among those the Legislative Committee has called for a review of the SPCA's status. The Committee notes the SPCA is both a public body and society and yet is exempt from the Society Act and the Freedom of Information. Joyce Murray says she needs to give the matter due diligence before deciding whether to take action. Critics complain the SPCA exemptions make it difficult to review how the money-losing organization does business.