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Set out below is a letter-to-the-editor by Democracy Watch Coordinator Duff Conacher which was published in the May 17, 2010 issue of the Hill Times While most media headlines 10 days ago claimed that federal MPs unanimously passed a Liberal Party motion to require registered lobbyists to disclose communications with parliamentary secretaries, in fact nothing has changed. The media should always describe motions as proposals because even if they pass they only propose changes, they never make them. However, under section 12(c.1) of the federal Lobbying Act, Cabinet is empowered to change the current regulation to require registered lobbyists to disclose communications with any public office holder, and to extend the ban on becoming a lobbyist after leaving office to any public office holder. No approval by Parliament is required to make these changes. So the Conservative Cabinet should change the regulation right away to require lobbyists to disclose communications with all MPs, senators and their staff, and to establish a sliding-scale ban on becoming a lobbyist of 1-5 years depending on the power and position of the person. And while they're at it, the Cabinet should close the loopholes in the regulation so that lobbyists are required to disclose not only pre-arranged oral communications, but also informal oral and all written communications. And the Cabinet should also introduce a bill to close the loopholes in the Lobbying Act so that unpaid and part-time corporate lobbyists are also required to register, as well as people lobbying about the enforcement of laws. Until all of these changes are made, secret, unethical lobbying of the federal government will still be legal, and the ban on becoming a lobbyist will be ineffective. |