Former parliamentary budget officer Kevin Page is calling for a 鈥渞ewiring鈥� and renewed culture in the government, as well as a more transparent public service.

Speaking to CTV鈥檚 Power Play about his new book, 鈥楿naccountable: Truth and Lies on Parliament Hill,鈥� Page said the government needs an overhaul in the way it operates.

鈥淚 think we鈥檝e gotten to a point now where secrecy has just become the way of life for governments. They don鈥檛 want to hand over this information to Parliament. They don鈥檛 want accountability,鈥� said Page.

鈥淲e need a new culture and some new wiring, and I think we need a public service that needs to be more transparent.鈥�

In his new book, Page delivers a scathing insider鈥檚 account of Prime Minister Stephen Harper鈥檚 government, which he worked under from 2008 to 2013 as PBO.

For him, there鈥檚 one particular line spoken by MPs on Parliament Hill that stands out.

鈥淢aybe the biggest lie ... is that parliamentarians want more accountability,鈥� he said.

And that lack of accountability is concerning for Page, whose position was created by the Conservatives in hopes of creating more accountability. But Page says it 鈥渂ecame something of lesser importance.鈥�

Page also spoke about his darkest times during his controversial five years as Canada鈥檚 first PBO. In 2009, he was ready to quit following a meeting with the joint committee on the Library of Parliament, which recommended that PBO reports be confidential.

鈥淚 found myself in this committee where MPs were saying that I should be held in contempt of Parliament for releasing documents the way we were releasing them,鈥� said Page. 鈥淚 saw those recommendations from the joint committee. I left the office thinking I was going to quit.鈥�

Page admits that after a phone call from then-NDP Leader Jack Layton and MP Tom Mulcair, and speaking with his team, he decided to stay on.

Current PBO Jean-Denis Frechette took over the role in 2013. While Page credited Frechette鈥檚 experience as an economist, he questioned his lack of experience with federal budgets.

鈥淚 think it was an appointment that was steered to some degree by the Prime Minister鈥檚 Office,鈥� said Page. 鈥淭here鈥檚 still very good people in the parliamentary budget office.鈥�