| I. Honest, Ethical Government Measures
SECTION I OVERALL GRADES
Bloc Québécois - D+
Conservative Party - C+
Green Party - C
Liberal Party - F
New Democrat Party - B-
1. Requiring honesty-in-politics
- Pass a law that requires all federal Cabinet ministers, MPs, Senators,
political staff, Cabinet appointees and government employees (including
at Crown corporations, agencies, boards, commissions, courts and tribunals)
nomination race and election candidates to tell the truth, with an easily
accessible complaint process to a fully independent watchdog agency that
is fully empowered to investigate and penalize anyone who lies. (Go to
Voter
Rights Campaign for details about Democracy Watch's proposals)
Bloc Québécois - D
- "Le Bloc Québécois s'engage à veiller scrupuleusement
et au respect des règles démocratiques par le gouvernement
fédéral." (p.10)
- "Making sure that the federal government respects the rules of democracy,
the laws of Québec and governmental integrity to avoid another sponsorship
scandal" (p.1 of the Bloc's 2-page English summary of their platform)
- "Le Bloc Québécois continuera à surveiller l'utilisation
qui est faite des fonds publics à Ottawa et à dénoncer
tous les cas de patronage, de détournement de fonds, de trafic d'influence,
de conflit d'intérêts et de fraude." (p.21)
Conservative Party - I
- Nothing related to proposal in platform
Green Party - I
- Nothing related to proposal in platform
Liberal Party - F
- "A Paul Martin government will immediately submit Judge Gomery’s
second report to a Parliamentary Committee for study and advice to the
government and to Parliament." (p.77)
- "A Liberal government will continue to explore the underpinnings
of democratic renewal" (p.77)
- "In the coming year, a Liberal government will engage in dialogue
with Canadians to define the values and principles they wish to see reflected
in their democratic institutions." (p.77)
New Democrat Party - B
- "Keep governments accountable for their promises and obligations
by appointing a Parliamentary Commissioner to use international and mutually-acceptable
standards as the basis for regular public report cards on government conduct.
The Commissioner will receive and investigate complaints about government
actions or omissions, negotiate their resolution, and report to Parliament
when recommendations are not accepted and implemented." (p.22)
- "Pass a new Accountability to the Electorate Act that makes MPs accountable
to their electors when they switch parties. This will require MPs to resign
their seats and seek election again if they want to switch parties, or
to join a party after being elected as independents. Members would, however,
be permitted to leave their parties and sit as independents without triggering
a by-election." (p.25)
2. Strengthening ethics
standards for politicians, political staff, Cabinet appointees and government
employees, and ethics enforcement - Close the loopholes in the existing
ethics rules (including requiring resignation and a by-election if an MP
switches parties between elections) and apply them to all government institutions
(including all Crown corporations), and as proposed by the federal Department
of Finance place anyone with decision-making power on the anti-corruption
watch list of the Financial Transactions and Reports Analysis Centre of
Canada (Fintrac) so deposits to their bank accounts can be tracked, and;
strengthen the independence and effectiveness of all the newly created
politician and government employee ethics watchdog positions (the Ethics
Commissioner for Cabinet and MPs, the Senate Ethics Officer for senators,
the Public Service Integrity Officer for government employees, the Registrar
of Lobbyists for lobbyists) by giving opposition party leaders a veto over
appointees, having Parliament (as opposed to Cabinet) approve their annual
budgets (as is currently the process for the Ethics Commissioner), prohibiting
the watchdogs from giving secret advice, requiring them to investigate
all complaints (including anonymous complaints), fully empowering them
to penalize rule-breakers, changing all the codes they enforce into laws,
and ensuring that all their decisions can be reviewed by the courts.
(Go to Government Ethics Campaign for
details about Democracy Watch's proposals)
Bloc Québécois - B-
- "Le Bloc Québécois s'engage à veiller scrupuleusement
et au respect des règles démocratiques par le gouvernement
fédéral." (p.10)
- "Making sure that the federal government respects the rules of democracy,
the laws of Québec and governmental integrity to avoid another sponsorship
scandal" (p.1 of the Bloc's 2-page English summary of their platform)
- "Pour permettre à la démocratie québécoise
d'avancer plutôt que de reculer, le Bloc Québécois
s'engage à : . . . - faire le ménage à Ottawa afin
que les impôts des Québécoises et des Québécois
ne servent plus à enfreindre les règles démocratiques
et à nourrir la corruption." (p.20)
- "Le Bloc Québécois continuera à surveiller l'utilisation
qui est faite des fonds publics à Ottawa et à dénoncer
tous les cas de patronage, de détournement de fonds, de trafic d'influence,
de conflit d'intérêts et de fraude." (p.21)
- "Le Bloc Québécois propose que la détermination
du budget de fonctionnement des agents du Parlement (Commissaire à
l’information du Canada, commissaire à la protection de la vie privée
du Canada, commissaire aux langues officielles, directeur général
des élections, vérificateur général du Canada)
et du commissaire à l'éthique soit effectuée par un
comité parlementaire (composé d’un membre par parti politique
officiel représenté à la Chambre des communes), appuyé
par un panel d'experts et d'un représentant du bureau concerné."
(p.26)
- "Le Bloc Québécois propose que le registraire des lobbyistes
obtienne le statut d'agent du Parlement comme, par exemple, le vérificateur
général. Le Bloc Québécois propose également
que le registraire ait le mandat et les moyens pour enquêter sur
les infractions. De plus, nous proposerons des amendements au régime
actuel d'enregistrement des lobbyistes afin d’étendre les activités
qui doivent être déclarées, d’obtenir une application
plus sérieuse de la période d’exclusion pour un fonctionnaire
ou un élu et d’augmenter les peines imposées aux contrevenants."
(p.27)
- "Le Bloc Québécois demande que le processus de grief
soit modifié de façon à répondre adéquatement
aux plaintes formulées par les militaires." (p.196)
Conservative Party - A-
- "A Conservative government will: - Ensure that all Officers of Parliament
are appointed through consultation with all parties in the House
of Commons and confirmed through a secret ballot of all Members of
Parliament, not just named by the Prime Minister. This appointment process
will cover: - The Ethics Commissioner - The Auditor General - The Chief
Electoral Officer - The Information Commissioner - The Privacy Commissioner
- The Registrar of Lobbyists -- Establish a Public Appointments Commission
to set merit-based requirements for appointments to government boards,
commissions, and agencies, to ensure that competitions for posts are widely
publicized and fairly conducted." (p.9)
- "A Conservative government will: - Give the Ethics Commissioner the
power to fine violators. - Prevent the Prime Minister from overruling the
Ethics Commissioner on whether the Prime Minister, a minister, or an official
is in violation of the Conflict of Interest Code. - Enshrine the Conflict
of Interest Code into law. - Close the loopholes that allow ministers to
vote on matters connected with their business interests. - End “venetian
blind” trusts that allow ministers to remain informed about their business
interests, and require all ministerial assets to be placed in truly blind
trusts. - Allow members of the public - not just politicians - to make
complaints to the Ethics Commissioner. - Make part-time or non-remunerated
ministerial advisers subject to the Ethics Code." (p.12)
Green Party - B+
- "172. Create a Government Accountability Act to ensure that all those
who monitor government are selected at arms length from those they monitor,
and to guarantee transparency and openness for all government activities."
(p.29)
- "173. Strengthen the mandates of Independent Officers of Parliament,
including the Auditor General and the Information Commissioner." (p.29)
- "174. Replace the current Ethics Commissioner, who reports privately
to the Prime Minister, with an independent Ethics Commission who would
report to Parliament appointed through a merit-based process with strong
powers to investigate government officials and lobbyists." (p.29)
- "179. Institute mandatory training in ethics for MPs and their staffs
and require all MPs and staff to take in-house training on the basics of
good management and ethics in Parliament." (p.29)
Liberal Party - F
- "A Paul Martin government will immediately submit Judge Gomery’s
second report to a Parliamentary Committee for study and advice to the
government and to Parliament." (p.77)
- "A Liberal government will continue to explore the underpinnings
of democratic renewal" (p.77)
- "In the coming year, a Liberal government will engage in dialogue
with Canadians to define the values and principles they wish to see reflected
in their democratic institutions." (p.77)
New Democrat Party - C+
- "Pass a new Accountability to the Electorate Act that makes MPs accountable
to their electors when they switch parties. This will require MPs to resign
their seats and seek election again if they want to switch parties, or
to join a party after being elected as independents. Members would, however,
be permitted to leave their parties and sit as independents without triggering
a by-election." (p.25)
- "End abuses in the appointment of other public officials by: - Converting
more Governor-in-Council (GIC) appointments to normal public service positions.
- Establishing an independent advisory committee to develop criteria for
GIC appointments and to act as a central clearing house for appointment
recommendations to the Prime Minister and responsible Ministers. - Requiring
approval by Parliamentary Committees of appointments of senior officers
and board members of government agencies and Crown Corporations." (p.25)
3. Making the political
donations system democratic - Prohibit donations by corporations, unions
and other organizations to candidates for public office; require disclosure
of all donations (including the identity of the donor's employer (as in
the U.S.) and/ or major affiliations) and loans quarterly and before any
election day (closing the loophole that currently allows secret, unlimited
donations to nomination race and election candidates); lower the individual
donation limit from $5,000 to a level affordable for the average Canadian
(e.g. $1,000); limit spending on campaigns for the leadership of political
parties; maintain limits on third-party (non-political party) advertising
during elections, and; lower the public funding of political parties from
$1.75 per vote received to $0.75 per vote received (to ensure that in order
to prosper parties need to have active, ongoing support of a broad base
of individuals) and ensure riding associations receive a fair share of
this funding. (Go to Money in Politics
Campaign for details about Democracy Watch's proposals)
Bloc Québécois - I
- Nothing related to proposal in platform
Conservative Party - B+
- "A Conservative government will: - Limit individual donations to
parties or candidates to a maximum of $1,000. - Prohibit all corporate,
union, and organization donations to political parties, ridings, and candidates.
- Ban cash donations to political parties or candidates of more than $20.
- Extend to ten years the period for which Elections Act violations
can be investigated and prosecuted." (p.8)
- "A Conservative government will: Prohibit nominated candidates or
MPs seeking re-election from accepting large personal gifts. - Ban the
use of trust funds to finance candidates’ campaigns. - Require that all
sitting or elected MPs report the existence of any trust funds or secret
accounts, and that such accounts be wound up." (p.9)
Green Party - B-
- "177. Limit the amount of donations to candidates to no more than
$1,000 annually from any donor, with the full identity of donors clearly
disclosed." (p.29)
- "189. Move from the current partial ban on corporate and union donations
to political parties to a full ban on such donations, modeled on Québec
and Manitoba provincial legislation." (p.30)
Liberal Party - F
- "A Paul Martin government will immediately submit Judge Gomery’s
second report to a Parliamentary Committee for study and advice to the
government and to Parliament." (p.77)
- "A Liberal government will continue to explore the underpinnings
of democratic renewal" (p.77)
- "In the coming year, a Liberal government will engage in dialogue
with Canadians to define the values and principles they wish to see reflected
in their democratic institutions." (p.77)
New Democrat Party - C+
- "Pass a new Leadership Accountability Act to shed the bright light
of accountability onto party leadership contests. Jack Layton and the NDP
would pass laws to put strict spending caps on party leadership contests
to keep them fair, democratic and free of corruption." (p.26)
4. Closing down the
revolving door - Prohibit lobbyists from working for government departments
or serving in senior positions for political parties or candidates for
public office (as in New Mexico and Maryland), and from having business
connections with anyone who does, and extend the period for former Cabinet
ministers, ministerial staff and senior public officials to five years
(and for MPs, their staff, and government employees to three years) during
which they are prohibited from becoming a lobbyist or working with corporations
or organizations with which they had direct dealings while in government.
(Go to Government Ethics Campaign for
details about Democracy Watch's proposals)
Bloc Québécois - B-
- "Le Bloc Québécois s'engage à veiller scrupuleusement
et au respect des règles démocratiques par le gouvernement
fédéral." (p.10)
- "Making sure that the federal government respects the rules of democracy,
the laws of Québec and governmental integrity to avoid another sponsorship
scandal" (p.1 of the Bloc's 2-page English summary of their platform)
- "Pour permettre à la démocratie québécoise
d'avancer plutôt que de reculer, le Bloc Québécois
s'engage à : . . . - faire le ménage à Ottawa afin
que les impôts des Québécoises et des Québécois
ne servent plus à enfreindre les règles démocratiques
et à nourrir la corruption." (p.20)
- "Le Bloc Québécois continuera à surveiller l'utilisation
qui est faite des fonds publics à Ottawa et à dénoncer
tous les cas de patronage, de détournement de fonds, de trafic d'influence,
de conflit d'intérêts et de fraude." (p.21)
- "Le Bloc Québécois propose que le registraire des lobbyistes
obtienne le statut d'agent du Parlement comme, par exemple, le vérificateur
général. Le Bloc Québécois propose également
que le registraire ait le mandat et les moyens pour enquêter sur
les infractions. De plus, nous proposerons des amendements au régime
actuel d'enregistrement des lobbyistes afin d’étendre les activités
qui doivent être déclarées, d’obtenir une application
plus sérieuse de la période d’exclusion pour un fonctionnaire
ou un élu et d’augmenter les peines imposées aux contrevenants."
(p.27)
Conservative Party - B
- "A Conservative government will: - Extend to five years the period
during which former ministers, ministerial staffers, and senior public
servants cannot lobby government." (p.8)
Green Party - B-
- "184. Strengthen the rules of conduct for lobbying. The Auditor
General, in auditing these activities will determine if these rules are
in the best interest of individual Canadians and make recommendations to
the Attorney General where changes are needed so that lobbying does not
unduly skew parliamentary decisions." (p.29)
Liberal Party - F
- "A Paul Martin government will immediately submit Judge Gomery’s
second report to a Parliamentary Committee for study and advice to the
government and to Parliament." (p.77)
- "A Liberal government will continue to explore the underpinnings
of democratic renewal" (p.77)
- "In the coming year, a Liberal government will engage in dialogue
with Canadians to define the values and principles they wish to see reflected
in their democratic institutions." (p.77)
New Democrat Party - B-
- "Take power out of the hands of lobbyists and ensure all decisions
are made in the open by: . . . - Prohibiting businesses (including their
owners, partners, employees or subsidiaries) from providing consulting
advice to a government agency or department while simultaneously engaging
in lobbying activity." (p.24)
II. Open Government Measures
SECTION II OVERALL GRADES
Bloc Québécois - B
Conservative Party - B+
Green Party - B
Liberal Party - F
New Democrat Party - C+
5. Strengthening access-to-information
system - Strengthen the federal access-to-information law and government
information management system by applying the law to all government/publicly
funded institutions, creating a public interest override of all access
exemptions, having Parliament (as opposed to Cabinet) approve the Information
Commissioner's annual budgets (as is currently the process for the federal
Ethics Commissioner), and giving the federal Information Commissioner the
power to order the release of documents (as in Ontario, Alberta and B.C.),
to order changes to government institutions' information systems, and to
penalize violators of access laws, regulations, policies and rules.
(Go to Open Government Campaign for
details about Democracy Watch's proposals)
Bloc Québécois - A-
- "Le Bloc Québécois s'engage à veiller scrupuleusement
et au respect des règles démocratiques par le gouvernement
fédéral." (p.10)
- "Making sure that the federal government respects the rules of democracy,
the laws of Québec and governmental integrity to avoid another sponsorship
scandal" (p.1 of the Bloc's 2-page English summary of their platform)
- "Pour permettre à la démocratie québécoise
d'avancer plutôt que de reculer, le Bloc Québécois
s'engage à : . . . - faire le ménage à Ottawa afin
que les impôts des Québécoises et des Québécois
ne servent plus à enfreindre les règles démocratiques
et à nourrir la corruption." (p.20)
- "Le Bloc Québécois continuera à surveiller l'utilisation
qui est faite des fonds publics à Ottawa et à dénoncer
tous les cas de patronage, de détournement de fonds, de trafic d'influence,
de conflit d'intérêts et de fraude." (p.21)
- "Le Bloc Québécois propose que la détermination
du budget de fonctionnement des agents du Parlement (Commissaire à
l’information du Canada, commissaire à la protection de la vie privée
du Canada, commissaire aux langues officielles, directeur général
des élections, vérificateur général du Canada)
et du commissaire à l'éthique soit effectuée par un
comité parlementaire (composé d’un membre par parti politique
officiel représenté à la Chambre des communes), appuyé
par un panel d'experts et d'un représentant du bureau concerné."
(p.26)
- "Le Bloc Québécois présentera un projet de loi
afin d'améliorer l'accès à l'information. Ce projet
de loi s'appuiera sur le projet de loi présenté par le commissaire
à l’information à l’automne 2005. Les éléments
suivants nous apparaissent essentiels : - la Loi sur l’accès à
l’information devrait couvrir la totalité des sociétés
d’État et des fondations, les agents du Parlement, les bureaux de
député ainsi que les cabinets des ministres et du premier
ministre; - les documents confidentiels du Cabinet devraient être
assujettis à la loi et aux révisions du commissaire; - toutes
les exceptions devraient être assujetties à la primauté
de l’intérêt public; - l’énonciation des rôles
et des responsabilités des coordonnateurs de l’accès à
l’information; - l’établissement d’incitatifs pour le respect des
délais de traitement; - l’élargissement du mandat du commissaire
à l’information; - les responsables gouvernementaux doivent être
tenus de mettre par écrit leurs décisions, interventions,
considérations et analyses; - les fournisseurs de services-conseils
doivent être tenus de produire un livrable témoignant de leur
travail." (p.29)
- "Le Bloc Québécois s’assurera que le gouvernement modifie
les accords de gestion afin de permettre l’application de la nouvelle loi."
(p.30)
- "Dans le cadre de la révision de la Loi antiterroriste par
le Sous-comité de la sécurité publique et nationale,
le Bloc Québécois demandera : - que soit modifié l’article
de la Loi sur l’immigration et la protection des réfugiés
(82(2)) qui prévoit que les étrangers puissent être
arrêtés sans mandat; - qu’un droit d’appel soit prévu
dans la Loi sur l’immigration et la protection des réfugiés
pour permettre à l’individu interdit de territoire d’en appeler
de la décision; - que la Loi sur l’immigration et la protection
des réfugiés soit modifiée pour permettre à
un avocat ayant obtenu une autorisation de sécurité de défendre
les droits de l’accusé lors des audiences sur la preuve secrète."
(p.98)
- "Le Bloc Québécois entend s’assurer que le gouvernement
ne tentera pas de censurer le rapport du juge O’Connor et compte veiller
à ce que le Canada ne recoure plus jamais à la torture en
sous-traitance." (p.120)
Conservative Party - A
- "A Conservative government will: - Ensure that all Officers of Parliament
are appointed through consultation with all parties in the House of Commons
and confirmed through a secret ballot of all Members of Parliament, not
just named by the Prime Minister. This appointment process will cover:
- The Ethics Commissioner - The Auditor General - The Chief Electoral Officer
- The Information Commissioner - The Privacy Commissioner - The Registrar
of Lobbyists -- Establish a Public Appointments Commission to set merit-based
requirements for appointments to government boards, commissions, and agencies,
to ensure that competitions for posts are widely publicized and fairly
conducted." (p.9)
- "A Conservative government will: - Ensure that all government public
opinion research is automatically published within six months of the completion
of the project, and prohibit verbal-only reports." (p.10)
- "A Conservative government will: - Implement the Information Commissioner’s
recommendations for reform of the Access to Information Act. - Give the
Information Commissioner the power to order the release of information.
- Expand the coverage of the act to all Crown corporations, Officers of
Parliament, foundations, and organizations that spend taxpayers’ money
or perform public functions. - Subject the exclusion of Cabinet confidences
to review by the Information Commissioner. - Oblige public officials to
create the records necessary to document their actions and decisions. -
Provide a general public interest override for all exemptions, so that
the public interest is put before the secrecy of the government. - Ensure
that all exemptions from the disclosure of government information are justified
only on the basis of the harm or injury that would result from disclosure,
not blanket exemption rules. - Ensure that the disclosure requirements
of the Access to Information Act cannot be circumvented by secrecy provisions
in other federal acts, while respecting the confidentiality of national
security and the privacy of personal information." (pp.12-13)
Green Party - B+
- "172. Create a Government Accountability Act to ensure that all those
who monitor government are selected at arms length from those they monitor,
and to
guarantee transparency and openness for all government activities."
(p.29)
- "173. Strengthen the mandates of Independent Officers of Parliament,
including the Auditor General and the Information Commissioner." (p.29)
Liberal Party - F
- "A Paul Martin government will immediately submit Judge Gomery’s
second report to a Parliamentary Committee for study and advice to the
government and to Parliament." (p.77)
- "A Liberal government will continue to explore the underpinnings
of democratic renewal" (p.77)
- "In the coming year, a Liberal government will engage in dialogue
with Canadians to define the values and principles they wish to see reflected
in their democratic institutions." (p.77)
New Democrat Party - B+
- "Improve Canada’s freedom-of-information legislation by: - Extending
the Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act to Crown Corporations
and agencies now excluded, including incorporated not-for-profit organizations
that receive at least two-thirds of their funding from the federal government.
- Making cabinet ministers and their staff subject to the Act. - Removing
unreasonable financial and time barriers to access. - Specifying which
cabinet records must be disclosed or not disclosed. - Improving public
access to third-party contracts and free access to public opinion polling."
(p.25)
- "End abuses in the appointment of other public officials by: - Converting
more Governor-in-Council (GIC) appointments to normal public service positions.
- Establishing an independent advisory committee to develop criteria for
GIC appointments and to act as a central clearing house for appointment
recommendations to the Prime Minister and responsible Ministers. - Requiring
approval by Parliamentary Committees of appointments of senior officers
and board members of government agencies and Crown Corporations." (p.25)
6. Exposing behind-closed-door
communications - Require in a new law that Ministers and senior public
officials to disclose their contacts with all lobbyists, whether paid or
volunteer lobbyists. (Go to Government
Ethics Campaign for details about Democracy Watch's proposals)
Bloc Québécois - B-
- "Le Bloc Québécois propose que le registraire des lobbyistes
obtienne le statut d'agent du Parlement comme, par exemple, le vérificateur
général. Le Bloc Québécois propose également
que le registraire ait le mandat et les moyens pour enquêter sur
les infractions. De plus, nous proposerons des amendements au régime
actuel d'enregistrement des lobbyistes afin d’étendre les activités
qui doivent être déclarées, d’obtenir une application
plus sérieuse de la période d’exclusion pour un fonctionnaire
ou un élu et d’augmenter les peines imposées aux contrevenants."
(p.27)
Conservative Party - A-
- "A Conservative government will: - Require ministers and senior government
officials to record their contacts with lobbyists." (p.8)
Green Party - B
- "172. Create a Government Accountability Act to ensure that all those
who monitor government are selected at arms length from those they monitor,
and to
guarantee transparency and openness for all government activities."
(p.29)
- "184. Strengthen the rules of conduct for lobbying. The Auditor
General, in auditing these activities will determine if these rules are
in the best interest of individual Canadians and make recommendations to
the Attorney General where changes are needed so that lobbying does not
unduly skew parliamentary decisions." (p.29)
Liberal Party -F
- "A Paul Martin government will immediately submit Judge Gomery’s
second report to a Parliamentary Committee for study and advice to the
government and to Parliament." (p.77)
- "A Liberal government will continue to explore the underpinnings
of democratic renewal" (p.77)
- "In the coming year, a Liberal government will engage in dialogue
with Canadians to define the values and principles they wish to see reflected
in their democratic institutions." (p.77)
New Democrat Party - I
- Nothing related to proposal in platform
7. Strengthening lobbying
disclosure and ethics, and the enforcement system - Strengthen the
Lobbyists
Registration Act and Lobbyists' Code of Conduct disclosure system
by closing the loophole that currently allows corporations to hide the
number of people involved in lobbying activities, and by requiring lobbyists
to disclose their past work with any Canadian or foreign government, political
party or candidate, to disclose all their government relations activities
(whether paid or volunteer) involving gathering inside information or trying
to influence policy-makers (as in the U.S.) and to disclose the amount
they spend on lobbying campaigns (as in 33 U.S. states), and; strengthen
the ethics and enforcement system by adding specific rules and closing
loopholes in the
Lobbyists' Code and making it part of the Act,
by extending the limitation period for prosecutions of violations of the
Act
to 10 years, and; by making the Registrar of Lobbyists an Officer of Parliament
and giving opposition party leaders a veto over the appointment of the
Registrar, by having Parliament (as opposed to Cabinet) approve the Registrar's
annual budget (as is currently the process for the Ethics Commissioner),
by prohibiting the Registrar from giving secret advice, by ensuring that
the Registrar must investigate all complaints (including anonymous complaints),
by fully empowering the Registrar to penalize rule-breakers, and by ensuring
all Registrar decisions can be reviewed by the courts. (Go to Government
Ethics Campaign for details about Democracy Watch's proposals)
Bloc Québécois - B+
- "Le Bloc Québécois propose que le registraire des lobbyistes
obtienne le statut d'agent du Parlement comme, par exemple, le vérificateur
général. Le Bloc Québécois propose également
que le registraire ait le mandat et les moyens pour enquêter sur
les infractions. De plus, nous proposerons des amendements au régime
actuel d'enregistrement des lobbyistes afin d’étendre les activités
qui doivent être déclarées, d’obtenir une application
plus sérieuse de la période d’exclusion pour un fonctionnaire
ou un élu et d’augmenter les peines imposées aux contrevenants."
(p.27)
Conservative Party - B+
- "A Conservative government will: - Extend to five years the period
during which former ministers, ministerial staffers, and senior public
servants cannot lobby government. - Ban success or contingency fee
arrangements. - Require ministers and senior government officials to record
their contacts with lobbyists. - Make the Registrar of Lobbyists an independent
Officer of Parliament. - Give the Registrar of Lobbyists the mandate and
resources to investigate violations. - Extend to ten years the period during
which violations can be investigated and prosecuted." (p.8)
- "A Conservative government will: - Ensure that all Officers of Parliament
are appointed through consultation with all parties in the House of Commons
and confirmed through a secret ballot of all Members of Parliament, not
just named by the Prime Minister. This appointment process will cover:
- The Ethics Commissioner - The Auditor General - The Chief Electoral Officer
- The Information Commissioner - The Privacy Commissioner - The Registrar
of Lobbyists -- Establish a Public Appointments Commission to set merit-based
requirements for appointments to government boards, commissions, and agencies,
to ensure that competitions for posts are widely publicized and fairly
conducted." (p.9)
Green Party - B
- "172. Create a Government Accountability Act to ensure that all those
who monitor government are selected at arms length from those they monitor,
and to guarantee transparency and openness for all government activities."
(p.29)
- "173. Strengthen the mandates of Independent Officers of Parliament,
including the Auditor General and the Information Commissioner." (p.29)
- "174. Replace the current Ethics Commissioner, who reports privately
to the Prime Minister, with an independent Ethics Commission who would
report to Parliament appointed through a merit-based process with strong
powers to investigate government officials and lobbyists." (p.29)
- "184. Strengthen the rules of conduct for lobbying. The Auditor
General, in auditing these activities will determine if these rules are
in the best interest of individual Canadians and make recommendations to
the Attorney General where changes are needed so that lobbying does not
unduly skew parliamentary decisions." (p.29)
Liberal Party - F
- "A Paul Martin government will immediately submit Judge Gomery’s
second report to a Parliamentary Committee for study and advice to the
government and to Parliament." (p.77)
- A Liberal government will continue to explore the underpinnings of
democratic renewal" (p.77)
- "In the coming year, a Liberal government will engage in dialogue
with Canadians to define the values and principles they wish to see reflected
in their democratic institutions." (p.77)
New Democrat Party - B+
- "Take power out of the hands of lobbyists and ensure all decisions
are made in the open by: - Obligating lobbyists to file annually a declaration
of their political work. - Toughen penalties for violations of the Lobbyists
Registration Act. - Ensuring lobbyists’ fees are disclosed and profit-based
contingency fees banned. - Prohibiting businesses (including their owners,
partners, employees or subsidiaries) from providing consulting advice to
a government agency or department while simultaneously engaging in lobbying
activity." (p.24)
- "End abuses in the appointment of other public officials by: - Converting
more Governor-in-Council (GIC) appointments to normal public service positions.
- Establishing an independent advisory committee to develop criteria for
GIC appointments and to act as a central clearing house for appointment
recommendations to the Prime Minister and responsible Ministers. - Requiring
approval by Parliamentary Committees of appointments of senior officers
and board members of government agencies and Crown Corporations." (p.25)
III. Efficient Government Measures
SECTION III OVERALL GRADES
Bloc Québécois - C+
Conservative Party - B-
Green Party - A-
Liberal Party - F+
New Democrat Party - E+
8. Increasing powers
of Auditor General - Increase the independence of the Auditor General
by requiring approval of appointment from opposition party leaders; increase
auditing resources of the Auditor General and having Parliament (as opposed
to Cabinet) approve the Auditor General's annual budget (as is currently
the process for the federal Ethics Commissioner), and; empower the Auditor
General to audit all government institutions, to report on the size of
the government deficit/surplus, to make orders for changes to government
institutions' spending systems, and to penalize violators of federal Treasury
Board spending rules or Auditor General orders. (Go to Voter
Rights Campaign for details about Democracy Watch's proposals)
Bloc Québécois - B-
- "Le Bloc Québécois propose la création d'un
organisme indépendant rattaché au Comité permanent
des finances qui aura pour mandat d'établir des prévisions
financières réalistes, révisées périodiquement.
Ces prévisions serviront de base à un véritable débat
sur les priorités budgétaires de la population." (p.16)
- "Le Bloc Québécois propose que la détermination
du budget de fonctionnement des agents du Parlement (Commissaire à
l’information du Canada, commissaire à la protection de la vie privée
du Canada, commissaire aux langues officielles, directeur général
des élections, vérificateur général du Canada)
et du commissaire à l'éthique soit effectuée par un
comité parlementaire (composé d’un membre par parti politique
officiel représenté à la Chambre des communes), appuyé
par un panel d'experts et d'un représentant du bureau concerné."
(p.26)
- "D’ici au démantèlement souhaité des fondations,
le Bloc Québécois continuera de dénoncer le camouflage
des surplus budgétaires du gouvernement au moyen des fondations.
Le Bloc Québécois réclamera que le gouvernement ne
puisse plus exempter les transferts aux fondations de la politique du Conseil
du Trésor qui interdit que des paiements soient effectués
avant que les fonds ne soient nécessaires. Le Bloc Québécois
réclamera que les fondations fassent partie du périmètre
comptable, ce qui empêcherait le gouvernement de comptabiliser les
paiements de transfert comme des charges, même si la majeure partie
de ces fonds dorment dans les comptes bancaires des fondations et dans
certains cas dans des placements portant intérêt!" (p.30)
- "Le Bloc Québécois demande donc que le registre des
armes à feu soit maintenu mais nous demandons, en revanche, que
la vérificatrice générale fasse un suivi annuel du
programme pour éviter de nouveaux dérapages. Par ailleurs,
nous attendons impatiemment le prochain rapport de la vérificatrice
qui devrait faire toute la lumière sur les raisons qui ont provoqué
le gouffre financier qu’a été le registre des armes à
feu depuis sa création." (p.121)
Conservative Party - A
- "A Conservative government will: - Ensure that all Officers of Parliament
are appointed through consultation with all parties in the House of Commons
and confirmed through a secret ballot of all Members of Parliament, not
just named by the Prime Minister. This appointment process will cover:
- The Ethics Commissioner - The Auditor General - The Chief Electoral Officer
- The Information Commissioner - The Privacy Commissioner - The Registrar
of Lobbyists -- Establish a Public Appointments Commission to set merit-based
requirements for appointments to government boards, commissions, and agencies,
to ensure that competitions for posts are widely publicized and fairly
conducted." (p.9)
- "A Conservative government will: - Ensure that all government public
opinion research is automatically published within six months of the completion
of the project, and prohibit verbal-only reports. - Ensure that an independent
review is conducted of government public opinion research practices discussed
in Chapter 5 of the Auditor General’s November 2003 report to determine
whether further action, such as a judicial inquiry, is required. - Open
up the bidding process for government advertising and public opinion contracts
to prevent insider firms from monopolizing government business." (p.10)
- "A Conservative government will: - Review and amend all contracting
rules to make the government’s procurement process free from political
interference. - Appoint a Procurement Auditor to ensure that all procurements
are fair and transparent, and to address complaints from vendors. - Permit
smaller vendors and vendors outside of the National Capital Region to receive
due consideration for government contracts." (p.10)
- "A Conservative government will: - Create an independent Parliamentary
Budget Authority to provide objective analysis directly to Parliament about
the state of the nation’s finances and trends in the national economy.
- Require government departments and agencies to provide accurate, timely
information to the Parliamentary Budget Authority to ensure it has the
information it needs to provide accurate analyses to Parliament. - Ensure
that government fiscal forecasts are updated quarterly and that they provide
complete data for both revenue and spending forecasts." (p.11)
- "A Conservative government will: - Ask the Auditor General to conduct,
on an expedited basis, an audit of all federal grant, contribution, and
contracting policies, and will commit to following her recommendations.
- Increase funding for the Office of the Auditor General to ensure she
has the necessary resources to conduct a complete audit of grant and contribution
programs and of any such departments, agencies, and Crown corporations
as she deems necessary. - Allow the Auditor General to “follow the money”
to end recipients by providing her with the statutory authority to conduct
audits of the records, documents, and accounts of any individual, institution,
or company that receives grants, contributions, or transfers under an agreement
with the Government of Canada. - Ensure that all granting programs are
reviewed every five years. - Strengthen enforcement of government financial
guidelines, and introduce new Criminal Code penalties for fraud involving
the misuse of taxpayers’ money." (pp.11-12)
- "A Conservative government will: - Give the Comptroller General the
overall authority for the internal audit function in each government department.
- Designate the deputy minister of each government department or agency
as the Accounting Officer for that department. The deputy will be responsible
to Parliament for the departmental spending and administrative practices
of his or her department. - Require that, in the event of a disagreement
between a minister and deputy minister on a matter of administration, the
minister must provide written instruction to the deputy minister and notify
the Auditor General and Comptroller General of the disagreement." (p.13)
- "Protect the integrity of the CPP investment fund to stop politicians
from raiding it to balance the budget or pay for other political projects."
(p.32)
- "Increase the power of Parliament and parliamentary committees to
review the spending estimates of departments and hold ministers to account."
(p.44)
Green Party - A-
- "172. Create a Government Accountability Act to ensure that all those
who monitor government are selected at arms length from those they monitor,
and to guarantee transparency and openness for all government activities."
(p.29)
- "173. Strengthen the mandates of Independent Officers of Parliament,
including the Auditor General and the Information Commissioner." (p.29)
- "178. Provide parliamentarians with independent regulatory audits
on the effectiveness of government regulations in meeting their stated
public purposes." (p.29)
- "180. Make service improvements a higher priority for all agencies
and departments, with systematic citizen feedback and a schedule for periodic
program review." (p.29)
- "182. Require long-term public departmental service plans to report
on government program purposes, costs, reforms and performance." (p.29)
- "195. Establish a new Parliamentary Budget Office to provide independent
public estimates of government revenues and expenditures. Simplify reporting
in order to identify how government initiates new policies, the creation
of budgets and the design of programs through to the actual results achieved."
(p.31)
Liberal Party - D
- "A Paul Martin government will immediately submit Judge Gomery’s
second report to a Parliamentary Committee for study and advice to the
government and to Parliament." (p.77)
- "A Liberal government will continue to explore the underpinnings
of democratic renewal" (p.77)
- "In the coming year, a Liberal government will engage in dialogue
with Canadians to define the values and principles they wish to see reflected
in their democratic institutions." (p.77)
New Democrat Party - C+
- "End abuses in the appointment of other public officials by: - Converting
more Governor-in-Council (GIC) appointments to normal public service positions.
- Establishing an independent advisory committee to develop criteria for
GIC appointments and to act as a central clearing house for appointment
recommendations to the Prime Minister and responsible Ministers. - Requiring
approval by Parliamentary Committees of appointments of senior officers
and board members of government agencies and Crown Corporations." (p.25)
9. Restricting government
advertising - Empower a government watchdog agency to preview and prohibit
government advertising that promotes the ruling party, especially leading
up to an election (similar to the restrictions in Manitoba and Saskatchewan).
(Go to Government Ethics Campaign for
details about Democracy Watch's proposals)
Bloc Québécois - C
- "Le Bloc Québécois s'engage à veiller scrupuleusement
et au respect des règles démocratiques par le gouvernement
fédéral." (p.10)
- "Making sure that the federal government respects the rules of democracy,
the laws of Québec and governmental integrity to avoid another sponsorship
scandal" (p.1 of the Bloc's 2-page English summary of their platform)
- "Pour permettre à la démocratie québécoise
d'avancer plutôt que de reculer, le Bloc Québécois
s'engage à : . . . - faire le ménage à Ottawa afin
que les impôts des Québécoises et des Québécois
ne servent plus à enfreindre les règles démocratiques
et à nourrir la corruption." (p.20)
- "Le Bloc Québécois continuera à surveiller l'utilisation
qui est faite des fonds publics à Ottawa et à dénoncer
tous les cas de patronage, de détournement de fonds, de trafic d'influence,
de conflit d'intérêts et de fraude." (p.21)
Conservative Party - D+
- "A Conservative government will: - Ensure that all government public
opinion research is automatically published within six months of the completion
of the project, and prohibit verbal-only reports. - Ensure that an independent
review is conducted of government public opinion research practices discussed
in Chapter 5 of the Auditor General’s November 2003 report to determine
whether further action, such as a judicial inquiry, is required. - Open
up the bidding process for government advertising and public opinion contracts
to prevent insider firms from monopolizing government business." (p.10)
- "Increase the power of Parliament and parliamentary committees
to review the spending estimates of departments and hold ministers to account."
(p.44)
Green Party - A-
- "176. Institute a code of conduct and independent complaints process
to ensure that tax dollars are not used for pre-election partisan purposes."
(p.29)
Liberal Party - I
- "A Paul Martin government will immediately submit Judge Gomery’s
second report to a Parliamentary Committee for study and advice to the
government and to Parliament." (p.77)
- "A Liberal government will continue to explore the underpinnings
of democratic renewal" (p.77)
- "In the coming year, a Liberal government will engage in dialogue
with Canadians to define the values and principles they wish to see reflected
in their democratic institutions." (p.77)
New Democrat Party - I
- Nothing related to proposal in platform
Top
Top of
Report Card
Top of Report Card Background Details
Democracy Watch homepage
IV. Representative, Citizen-Driven Government Measures
SECTION IV OVERALL GRADES
Bloc Québécois - B-
Conservative Party - B
Green Party - C
Liberal Party - F-
New Democrat Party - B-
10. Increasing meaningful
public consultation - Pass a law requiring all government departments
and institutions to use consultation processes that provide meaningful
opportunities for citizen participation, especially concerning decisions
that affect the lives of all Canadians. (Go to Voter
Rights Campaign for details about Democracy Watch's proposals)
Bloc Québécois - C-
- "Le Bloc Québécois exigera un débat portant
sur les accords internationaux en cours de négociation avant la
ratification de tels accords." (p.19)
- "Pour permettre à la démocratie québécoise
d'avancer plutôt que de reculer, le Bloc Québécois
s'engage à : - exiger pour les parlementaires le droit de se prononcer
par un vote sur tout accord international d'importance conclu par le gouvernement
fédéral . . ." (p.20)
- "Afin d’amorcer dès maintenant un virage important en ce qui
a trait à l’avenir du Saint-Laurent, le Bloc Québécois
va mettre de l’avant les positions suivantes au cours des prochains mois
: - modifier la Loi maritime du Canada afin d’obliger les administrations
portuaires à consulter les citoyens et les élus municipaux
concernant les aménagements immobiliers et l’accès public
. . ." (p.137)
- "Le Bloc Québécois reviendra à la charge et
présentera à nouveau un projet de loi pour démocratiser
le processus d’adoption des accords internationaux." (p.188)
Conservative Party - C-
- "Appoint a Seniors Council comprised of seniors and representatives
of seniors’ organizations to advise the minister responsible for seniors
on issues of national importance." (p.32)
- "A Conservative government will: - Hold a truly free vote on the
definition of marriage in the next session of Parliament. If the resolution
is passed, the government will introduce legislation to restore the traditional
definition of marriage while respecting existing same-sex marriages." (p.33)
- "Make all votes in Parliament, except the budget and main estimates,
“free votes” for ordinary Members of Parliament." (p.44)
- "Increase the power of Parliament and parliamentary committees to
review the spending estimates of departments and hold ministers to account."
(p.44)
- "Place international treaties before Parliament for ratification."
(p.45)
Green Party - F
- "185. Create a broad-based, result-driven public consultation process
to determine the form of proportional representation that best serves Canadians
for the next federal election. 186. Support the legislative changes required
to introduce the proportional representation electoral system recommended
by the public consultation." (p.30)
Liberal Party - F
- "A Paul Martin government will immediately submit Judge Gomery’s
second report to a Parliamentary Committee for study and advice to the
government and to Parliament." (p.77)
- A Liberal government will continue to explore the underpinnings of
democratic renewal" (p.77)
- "In the coming year, a Liberal government will engage in dialogue
with Canadians to define the values and principles they wish to see reflected
in their democratic institutions." (p.77)
New Democrat Party - C+
- "Keep governments accountable for their promises and obligations
by appointing a Parliamentary Commissioner to use international and mutually-acceptable
standards as the basis for regular public report cards on government conduct.
The Commissioner will receive and investigate complaints about government
actions or omissions, negotiate their resolution, and report to Parliament
when recommendations are not accepted and implemented." (p.22)
11. Restricting power
of Cabinet to make appointments - Require approval by opposition party
leaders for the approximately 3,000 judicial, agency, board, commission
and tribunal appointments currently made by the Prime Minister (including
the board and President of the CBC), especially for appointees to senior
and law enforcement positions, after a merit-based nomination process.
(Go to Voter Rights Campaign for details
about Democracy Watch's proposals)
Bloc Québécois - B+
- "Le Bloc Québécois considère qu'un processus
formel d'examen des nominations des hauts fonctionnaires et des dirigeants
de sociétés d'État doit être une priorité
du nouveau gouvernement. Les comités parlementaires doivent être
au cœur du processus décisionnel et aucune nomination ne devrait
être effectuée contre l'avis des comités." (p.31)
- "Le Bloc Québécois continuera de réclamer une
réforme du processus de nomination des juges de la Cour suprême
qui prévoit que chaque poste québécois revienne à
une personne proposée par le gouvernement du Québec." (p.32)
- "Le Bloc Québécois continuera de travailler à
dépolitiser le processus de nomination des juges." (p.33)
Conservative Party - B+
- "A Conservative government will: - Ensure that all Officers of Parliament
are appointed through consultation with all parties in the House of Commons
and confirmed through a secret ballot of all Members of Parliament, not
just named by the Prime Minister. This appointment process will cover:
- The Ethics Commissioner - The Auditor General - The Chief Electoral Officer
- The Information Commissioner - The Privacy Commissioner - The Registrar
of Lobbyists -- Establish a Public Appointments Commission to set merit-based
requirements for appointments to government boards, commissions, and agencies,
to ensure that competitions for posts are widely publicized and fairly
conducted. -- Prevent ministerial aides and other political appointees
receiving favoured treatment when applying for public service positions."
(p.9)
Green Party - A-
- "91. Introduce laws guaranteeing a proportion of seats for women
in government appointed bodies." (p.18)
- "172. Create a Government Accountability Act to ensure that all those
who monitor government are selected at arms length from those they monitor,
and to guarantee transparency and openness for all government activities."
(p.29)
- "181. Reinforce the political independence of public sector employees
- especially scientists and professionals with responsibility for such
areas as fisheries science and drug licensing." (p.29)
- "183. Reform the appointments system to discourage patronage." (p.29)
Liberal Party - F
- "A Paul Martin government will immediately submit Judge Gomery’s
second report to a Parliamentary Committee for study and advice to the
government and to Parliament." (p.77)
- "A Liberal government will continue to explore the underpinnings
of democratic renewal" (p.77)
- "In the coming year, a Liberal government will engage in dialogue
with Canadians to define the values and principles they wish to see reflected
in their democratic institutions." (p.77)
New Democrat Party - A-
- "Make appointments on merit, not on political connections." (p.24)
- "Ensure that prior to the appointment of Supreme Court Judges, an
independent committee would provide the House of Commons Justice Committee
with criteria for examination and debate. Judicial appointments would be
measured against public criteria." (p.25)
- "End abuses in the appointment of other public officials by: - Converting
more Governor-in-Council (GIC) appointments to normal public service positions.
- Establishing an independent advisory committee to develop criteria for
GIC appointments and to act as a central clearing house for appointment
recommendations to the Prime Minister and responsible Ministers. - Requiring
approval by Parliamentary Committees of appointments of senior officers
and board members of government agencies and Crown Corporations." (p.25)
12. Making the Senate
democratic or abolish it - Attempt to reach an agreement with provincial
governments (as required by the Constitution) to either abolish the Senate
or reform the Senate (with a safeguard that Senate powers will not be increased
unless senators are elected and their overall accountability increased).
(Go to Voter Rights Campaign for details
about Democracy Watch's proposals)
Bloc Québécois - B
- "Le Bloc Québécois considère que le Sénat
est une institution non démocratique, coûteuse et désuète."
(p.32)
Conservative Party - A
- "A Conservative government will: - Begin reform of the Senate by
creating a national process for choosing elected Senators from each province
and territory. - Propose further reforms to make the Senate an effective,
independent, and democratically elected body that equitably represents
all regions." (p.44)
Green Party - I
- Nothing related to proposal in platform
Liberal Party - I
- "A Paul Martin government will immediately submit Judge Gomery’s
second report to a Parliamentary Committee for study and advice to the
government and to Parliament." (p.77)
- "A Liberal government will continue to explore the underpinnings
of democratic renewal" (p.77)
- "In the coming year, a Liberal government will engage in dialogue
with Canadians to define the values and principles they wish to see reflected
in their democratic institutions." (p.77)
New Democrat Party - D
- Nothing related to proposal in platform, but NDP's longstanding position
has been to abolish the Senate
13. Ensuring free,
fair and representative elections - Change the current voting law and
system so that nomination and party leadership races are regulated by Elections
Canada (including limiting spending on campaigns for party leadership),
so that Elections Canada appoints returning officers to ensure a fair voting
decisions in every riding, so that Elections Canada determines which parties
can participate in election debates based upon merit criteria, so that
voters are allowed to refuse their ballot (ie. vote for "none of the above",
as in Ontario), and to provide a more equal number of voters in every riding,
and a more accurate representation in Parliament of the actual voter support
for each political party (with a safeguard to ensure that a party with
low-level, narrow-base support does not have a disproportionately high
level of power in Parliament). (Go to Voter
Rights Campaign for details about Democracy Watch's proposals)
Bloc Québécois - B-
- "Le Bloc Québécois déposera à nouveau
un projet de loi qui accordera au directeur général des élections
du Canada des pouvoirs semblables à ceux que détient son
homologue du Québec. Le directeur général des élections
du Canada pourra ainsi nommer lui-même les directeurs du scrutin,
une fois qu'ils auront démontré leur compétence, leur
mérite et leur aptitude à remplir cette fonction." (p.27)
Conservative Party - B
- "A Conservative government will: - Ensure that all Officers of Parliament
are appointed through consultation with all parties in the House of Commons
and confirmed through a secret ballot of all Members of Parliament, not
just named by the Prime Minister. This appointment process will cover:
- The Ethics Commissioner - The Auditor General - The Chief Electoral Officer
- The Information Commissioner - The Privacy Commissioner - The Registrar
of Lobbyists -- Establish a Public Appointments Commission to set merit-based
requirements for appointments to government boards, commissions, and agencies,
to ensure that competitions for posts are widely publicized and fairly
conducted." (p.9)
- "A Conservative government will: - Restore representation by population
for Ontario, British Columbia, and Alberta in the House of Commons while
protecting the seat counts of smaller provinces. - Introduce legislation
modeled on the BC and Ontario laws requiring fixed election dates every
four years, except when a government loses the confidence of the House
(in which case an election would be held immediately, and the subsequent
election would follow four years later)." (p.44)
- "A Conservative government will: - Ensure that party nomination and
leadership races are conducted in a fair, transparent, and democratic manner.
- Prevent party leaders from appointing candidates without the democratic
consent of local electoral district associations." (p.44)
Green Party - B+
- "185. Create a broad-based, result-driven public consultation process
to determine the form of proportional representation that best serves Canadians
for the next federal election. 186. Support the legislative changes required
to introduce the proportional representation electoral system recommended
by the public consultation." (p.30)
- "187. Introduce fixed election dates permitting political stability
and fair elections." (p.30)
- "188. Require a mandatory series of open leaders' debates during
an election organized by an independent agency such as Elections Canada."
(p.30)
- "190. Reduce the mandatory $1,000 candidate deposit to encourage
more Canadians to participate in the democratic system." (p.30)
- "191. Lower the voting age to seventeen." (p.30)
Liberal Party - I
- "A Liberal government will continue to explore the underpinnings
of democratic renewal" (p.77)
- "In the coming year, a Liberal government will engage in dialogue
with Canadians to define the values and principles they wish to see reflected
in their democratic institutions." (p.77)
New Democrat Party - B
- "Pass a new Fixed Elections Act to end the power of the governing
party to control election timing by establishing fixed election dates."
(p.26)
- "Pass a new Leadership Accountability Act to shed the bright light
of accountability onto party leadership contests. Jack Layton and the NDP
would pass laws to put strict spending caps on party leadership contests
to keep them fair, democratic and free of corruption." (p.26)
- "Introduce an Every Vote Counts Act to change Canada’s federal electoral
system to a mixed electoral system that combines constituency-based MPs
with proportional representation." (p.26)
V. General Government Accountability Measures
SECTION V OVERALL GRADES
Bloc Québécois - B-
Conservative Party - C+
Green Party - C
Liberal Party - E+
New Democrat Party - B-
14. Facilitating citizen
watchdog groups over government - Require federal government institutions
to enclose one-page pamphlets periodically in their mailings to citizens
inviting citizens to join citizen-funded and directed groups to represent
citizen interests in policy-making and enforcement processes of key government
departments (for example, on ethics, spending, and health care) as has
been proposed in the U.S. and recommended for Canadian banks and other
financial institutions in 1998 by a federal task force, a House of Commons
Committee, and a Senate Committee. (Go to Citizen
Association Campaign for details about Democracy Watch's proposals)
Bloc Québécois - I
- Nothing related to proposal in platform
Conservative Party - F
- "Appoint a Seniors Council comprised of seniors and representatives
of seniors’ organizations to advise the minister responsible for seniors
on issues of national importance." (p.32)
Green Party - F
- "94. Ensure adequate funding for national organizations such as National
Action Committee and other bodies committed to improving the status of
women." (p.18)
Liberal Party - I
- Nothing related to proposal in platform
New Democrat Party - F
- "Keep governments accountable for their promises and obligations
by appointing a Parliamentary Commissioner to use international and mutually-acceptable
standards as the basis for regular public report cards on government conduct.
The Commissioner will receive and investigate complaints about government
actions or omissions, negotiate their resolution, and report to Parliament
when recommendations are not accepted and implemented." (p.22)
15. Ensuring effective
whistleblower protection - Require everyone to report any violation
of any law, regulation, policy, code, guideline or rule, and give all watchdog
agencies over government (for example: Auditor General, Information Commissioner,
Privacy Commissioner, Public Service Commission, the four ethics watchdogs,
Security and Intelligence Review Committee, the National Health Council)
full powers to investigate allegations of violations, to penalize violators,
to protect anyone who reports a violation (so-called "whistleblowers")
from retaliation, to reward whistleblowers whose allegations are proven
to be true, and to ensure a right to appeal to the courts. (Go to
Government
Ethics Campaign for details about Democracy Watch's proposals)
Bloc Québécois - A-
- "Le Bloc Québécois proposera d’améliorer le
système de dénonciation des actes répréhensibles
et la protection de dénonciateurs dans le secteur public en : -
réclamant que le nouveau commissaire soit approuvé par les
chefs de l’opposition; - s’assurant que le gouvernement n’ait pas la possibilité
d’exclure les sociétés d'État, les fondations et tout
autre organisme fédéral de l'application de la loi; - en
accordant au commissaire plus de latitude afin de corriger le tort imposé
aux dénonciateurs; - facilitant aux dénonciateurs l’accès
aux tribunaux; - s’assurant que la nouvelle loi ne serve pas de prétexte
au gouvernement pour restreindre le droit à l’accès à
l’information." (p.28)
- "Le Bloc Québécois demande que le processus de grief
soit modifié de façon à répondre adéquatement
aux plaintes formulées par les militaires." (p.196)
Conservative Party - A
- "A Conservative government will: - Give the Public Service Integrity
Commissioner the power to enforce compliance with the Public Servants Disclosure
Protection Act. - Ensure that all Canadians who report government wrongdoing
are protected, not just public servants. - Remove the government’s ability
to exempt Crown corporations and other bodies from the Act. - Require the
prompt public disclosure of information revealed by whistleblowers, except
where national security or the security of individuals is affected. - Ensure
that whistleblowers have access to the courts and that they are provided
with adequate legal counsel. - Establish monetary rewards for whistleblowers
who expose wrongdoing or save taxpayers dollars." (p.11)
Green Party - B+
- "172. Create a Government Accountability Act to ensure that all those
who monitor government are selected at arms length from those they monitor,
and to
guarantee transparency and openness for all government activities."
(p.29)
- "173. Strengthen the mandates of Independent Officers of Parliament,
including the Auditor General and the Information Commissioner." (p.29)
- "175. Support effective whistle-blower protection for public and
private sector employees." (p.29)
Liberal Party - D
- "A Paul Martin government will immediately submit Judge Gomery’s
second report to a Parliamentary Committee for study and advice to the
government and to Parliament." (p.77)
- "A Liberal government will continue to explore the underpinnings
of democratic renewal" (p.77)
- "In the coming year, a Liberal government will engage in dialogue
with Canadians to define the values and principles they wish to see reflected
in their democratic institutions." (p.77)
New Democrat Party - B+
- "Keep governments accountable for their promises and obligations
by appointing a Parliamentary Commissioner to use international and mutually-acceptable
standards as the basis for regular public report cards on government conduct.
The Commissioner will receive and investigate complaints about government
actions or omissions, negotiate their resolution, and report to Parliament
when recommendations are not accepted and implemented." (p.22)
- "Pass a new Protection of Whistleblowers Act, applicable to both
the private and public sectors that: - Provides legal protection from reprisal
for those who disclose wrongdoing internally or externally, including imposing
fines and jail sentences against individuals who engage in reprisals. -
Establishes a whistleblower officer selected by, and reporting to Parliament
who has broad powers of investigation and reporting." (p.25)
16. Ensuring loophole
free laws and strong penalties for wrongdoers - Close any technical
and other loopholes that have been identified in laws, regulations, policies,
codes, guidelines and rules that apply to government institutions to help
ensure strong enforcement, and increase financial penalties for violations
to a level that significantly effects the annual revenues/budget of the
people involved and the institution. (Go to Voter
Rights Campaign for details about Democracy Watch's proposals)
Bloc Québécois - B+
- "Le Bloc Québécois s'engage à veiller scrupuleusement
et au respect des règles démocratiques par le gouvernement
fédéral." (p.10)
- "Making sure that the federal government respects the rules of democracy,
the laws of Québec and governmental integrity to avoid another sponsorship
scandal" (p.1 of the Bloc's 2-page English summary of their platform)
- "Pour permettre à la démocratie québécoise
d'avancer plutôt que de reculer, le Bloc Québécois
s'engage à : . . . - faire le ménage à Ottawa afin
que les impôts des Québécoises et des Québécois
ne servent plus à enfreindre les règles démocratiques
et à nourrir la corruption." (p.20)
- "Le Bloc Québécois continuera à surveiller l'utilisation
qui est faite des fonds publics à Ottawa et à dénoncer
tous les cas de patronage, de détournement de fonds, de trafic d'influence,
de conflit d'intérêts et de fraude." (p.21)
- "Le Bloc Québécois continuera de lutter contre les
manquements flagrants du ministère de la Défense et du Conseil
du Trésor en matière de respect de la Loi sur les langues
officielles." (p.93)
- "Le Bloc Québécois dénonce le laxisme du gouvernement
fédéral devant la situation du français dans la fonction
publique et exige immédiatement du gouvernement que les candidats
à un poste désigné bilingue répondent, et ce
dès leur embauche, aux exigences linguistiques du poste convoité."
(p.93)
- "Le Bloc Québécois est déterminé à
obtenir du gouvernement fédéral une amélioration notable
de l’efficacité de Citoyenneté et Immigration Canada dans
le traitement des demandes de réfugiés, sans sacrifier la
qualité du traitement de ces demandes, et un transfert supplémentaire
de 100 millions $ par année pour soutenir les efforts du Québec."
(p.96)
- "Le Bloc Québécois entend redoubler sa vigilance quant
aux procédures d’accueil des réfugiés au Canada pour
protéger leurs droits et accroître leur nombre. Le Bloc Québécois
s’assurera que le gouvernement fédéral suive les recommandations
du Haut Commissariat des Nations Unies pour les réfugiés
qui participera à la révision périodique de l’Entente
sur les pays tiers sûrs." (p.97)
- "Le Bloc Québécois exige la mise en place de la Section
d’appel des réfugiés, tel que le prévoyait la Loi
sur l’immigration et la protection des réfugiés adoptée
en juin 2002." (p.97)
- "Dans le cadre de la révision de la Loi antiterroriste par
le Sous-comité de la sécurité publique et nationale,
le Bloc Québécois demandera : - que soit modifié l’article
de la Loi sur l’immigration et la protection des réfugiés
(82(2)) qui prévoit que les étrangers puissent être
arrêtés sans mandat; - qu’un droit d’appel soit prévu
dans la Loi sur l’immigration et la protection des réfugiés
pour permettre à l’individu interdit de territoire d’en appeler
de la décision; - que la Loi sur l’immigration et la protection
des réfugiés soit modifiée pour permettre à
un avocat ayant obtenu une autorisation de sécurité de défendre
les droits de l’accusé lors des audiences sur la preuve secrète."
(p.98)
- "Le Bloc Québécois s’engage à talonner le gouvernement
pour qu’il corrige sans délai l’injustice inacceptable dont sont
victimes les personnes régies par la Loi sur les Indiens." (p.106)
- "Le Bloc Québécois exige que le gouvernement fédéral
rembourse la caisse d’assurance-emploi. Pour ce faire, il propose un plan
de remboursement de la caisse, de façon à bonifier le régime
et à assurer une réserve raisonnable en cas de crise économique."
(p,113)
- "Le Bloc Québécois exige la création d’une caisse
autonome d’assurance-emploi et d’une commission indépendante de
l’assurance-emploi responsable, notamment, de la fixation du taux de cotisation."
(p.113)
- "Le Bloc Québécois s’engage à déposer
de nouveau un projet de loi qui vient en aide aux victimes de harcèlement
psychologique qui travaillent à l’intérieur de la fonction
publique et celles qui sont régies par le Code canadien du travail."
(p.116)
- "Le Bloc Québécois demande que soit remplacer le modèle
existant d’équité salariale reposant sur des plaintes par
une nouvelle loi distincte et proactive en matière d’équité
salariale qui ferait de l’équité salariale un droit fondamental
de la personne conformément à ce qui existe au Québec."
(p.116)
- "Le Bloc Québécois s’engage à faire en sorte
que dans toute mesure législative qui touche le terrorisme, l’équilibre
entre sécurité et liberté soit respecté et
il demande la création d’un poste de commissaire indépendant
chargé de la surveillance de l’application de toute loi relative
au terrorisme." (p.119)
- "Le Bloc Québécois entend s’assurer que le gouvernement
ne tentera pas de censurer le rapport du juge O’Connor et compte veiller
à ce que le Canada ne recoure plus jamais à la torture en
sous-traitance." (p.120)
- "Le Bloc Québécois exhorte le gouvernement fédéral
à rembourser les 46,2 milliards $ qu'il a pillés dans la
caisse d'assurance-emploi pour bonifier le régime, à mettre
fin au « trou noir » qui affecte les travailleurs saisonniers
et à abolir les conditions discriminatoires imposées aux
jeunes travailleurs." (p.145)
- "Ottawa doit rapidement entrer en discussions avec le Québec
pour décentraliser tout le système d'inspection des aliments
et scinder le Canada en plusieurs régions sanitaires. Une telle
régionalisation des pratiques sanitaires permettrait aux producteurs
québécois d'être épargnés par une semblable
crise dans l'avenir et permettrait au Québec de faire valoir l'excellence
de ses pratiques sanitaires." (p.168)
- "Le Bloc Québécois s’engage de plus à déposer
un projet de loi prévoyant un soutien financier pour les entreprises
victimes de harcèlement à visée protectionniste dans
l'avenir." (p.170)
- "Pour le Bloc Québécois, les droits américains,
jugés illégaux par les tribunaux de l’ALÉNA, doivent
être abolis et intégralement remboursés. Cette question
n’est pas négociable." (p.171)
- "Le Bloc Québécois propose que le gouvernement
fédéral conditionne toute aide bilatérale au respect
des droits fondamentaux de la personne. Il doit aussi s’assurer que les
fonds ne soient pas détournés de leur objectif initial."
(p.184)
- "Le Bloc Québécois propose que le gouvernement fédéral
fasse obligation à tous ses organismes et ministères de ne
servir que du café équitable, là où il en a
la possibilité." (p.193)
- "Le Bloc Québécois demande que le processus de grief
soit modifié de façon à répondre adéquatement
aux plaintes formulées par les militaires." (p.196)
- "À la suite de pressions, le gouvernement fédéral
a mis en place un processus d’enquête [à respect d'Agent Orange].
Cependant, le Bloc Québécois s’assurera que les victimes
militaires et civiles soient rapidement et équitablement compensées."
(p.197)
Conservative Party - B+
- "A Conservative government will: - Create the Office of the Director
of Public Prosecutions, with the responsibility to conduct prosecutions
under federal jurisdiction. - Give the Director of Public Prosecutions
the power to make binding and final decisions to prosecute or not unless
the Attorney General or Deputy Attorney General instructs the Director
to do otherwise by means of public written notice. - Appoint the Director
of Public Prosecutions from among qualified candidates recommended by a
committee which will include representatives of the opposition parties
in Parliament. - Give the Director of Public Prosecutions the mandate to
review recent decisions on prosecutions in the sponsorship scandal and
other matters which have been the subject of investigation by the Auditor
General and the Ethics Counsellor or Commissioner. - Structure the Office
of the Director of Public Prosecutions in accordance with best practices
in other jurisdictions such as British Columbia, Nova Scotia, Australia,
and the United Kingdom." (p.13)
- "Ensure that regional development agencies are depoliticized and
fully accountable to Parliament and Canadians." (p.18)
- "A Conservative government will: - Demand that the U.S. government
play by the rules on softwood lumber. The U.S. must abide by the NAFTA
ruling on softwood lumber, repeal the Byrd Amendment, and return the more
than $5 billion in illegal softwood lumber tariffs to Canadian producers.
- Provide real help for Canadian workers and businesses coping with illegal
American trade actions. The government of Canada will guarantee repayment
of illegally imposed softwood lumber tariffs through Export Development
Canada. This will ensure that Canadian forest companies can continue to
operate without penalty. We will continue to help pay the legal bills of
Canadian businesses that are fighting American softwood lumber tariffs.
We will support displaced forestry workers" (p.19)
- "A Conservative government will: - Establish, at the earliest possible
time, a comprehensive, independent judicial inquiry into the investigation
of the Air India bombing of June 23, 1985." (p.26)
- "Create a National Security Review Committee to ensure effective
oversight and a greater degree of accountability and transparency regarding
Canada’s national security efforts." (p.26)
- "A Conservative government will: - Push ahead with implementing
the September 2004 federal-provincial Health Accord. We will ensure that:
- Evidence-based benchmarks for medically acceptable wait times, starting
with cancer, heart, diagnostic imaging procedures, joint replacements,
and sight restoration are established as soon as possible, as promised
in the Health Accord. - Patient Wait-time reduction targets for priority
procedures identified by provinces are established by the end of 2006.
- Canadians get regular reports on progress towards meeting these wait-time
targets, as promised in the Health Accord. . . . - Work with the provinces
to develop a Patient Wait Times Guarantee to ensure that all Canadians
receive essential medical treatment within clinically acceptable waiting
times, or can be treated in another jurisdiction, as required by the Supreme
Court of Canada’s Chaoulli decision and the Canadian Charter of Rights
and Freedoms." (p.30)
- "Immediately compensate all individuals who contracted hepatitis
C from tainted blood, as recommended by the Krever Inquiry." (p.31)
- "Protect the integrity of the CPP investment fund to stop politicians
from raiding it to balance the budget or pay for other political projects."
(p.32)
- "Replace the Indian Act (and related legislation) with a modern
legislative framework which provides for the devolution of full legal and
democratic responsibility to aboriginal Canadians for their own affairs
within the Constitution, including the Charter of Rights and Freedoms.
- Pursue settlement of all outstanding “comprehensive claims” within a
clear framework that balances the rights of aboriginal claimants with those
of Canada. - Adopt measures to resolve the existing backlog of “specific”
claims so as to provide justice for aboriginal claimants, together with
certainty for government, industry, and non-aboriginal Canadians. - Implement
all of the recommendations of the House of Commons Standing Committee on
Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development contained in its fourth report
on Resolving Indian Residential School Claims, to expedite the settlement
of claims and save money. - Recognize the contributions of Aboriginal veterans,
and redress 60 years of inequity by implementing the resolution of the
House of Commons to acknowledge the historic inequality of treatment and
compensation for First Nations, Métis, and Inuit war veterans, and
take action immediately to give real compensation to these veterans in
a way that truly respects their service and sacrifice. Canada has long
welcomed hard-working, law-abiding men and women seeking freedom, democracy,
and opportunity for themselves and their families." (pp.38-39)
- "A Conservative government will: - Support the creation of practical
intergovernmental mechanisms to facilitate provincial involvement in areas
of federal jurisdiction where provincial jurisdiction is affected, and
enshrine these practices in a Charter of Open Federalism. We will work
with the provinces in areas such as culture, environment, and trade, within
the context of the Constitution." (p.42)
- "A Conservative government will: - Work with the provinces in order
to achieve a long-term agreement which would address the issue of fiscal
imbalance in a permanent fashion. - Ensure that any new shared-cost programs
in areas of provincial/territorial responsibility have the consent of the
majority of provinces to proceed, and that provinces should be given the
right to opt out of the federal program with compensation, so long as the
province offers a similar program with similar accountability structures."
(p.43)
- "A Conservative government will: - Propose an amendment to
the Constitution to include the right to own property, as well as guarantee
that no person shall be deprived of their just right without the due process
of law and full, just, and timely compensation. - Enact legislation to
ensure that full, just, and timely compensation will be paid to all persons
who are deprived of personal or private property as a result of any federal
government initiative, policy, process, regulation, or legislation." (p.43)
- "A Conservative government will: - Advance Canada’s interests
through foreign aid, while at the same time holding those agencies involved
in this area accountable for its distribution and results. - Make Parliament
responsible for exercising oversight over the conduct of Canadian foreign
policy and the commitment of Canadian Forces to foreign operations. - Place
international treaties before Parliament for ratification." (p.45)
- "Treat Canada’s veterans with the respect and honour that they deserve,
and ensure better responsiveness to veterans with a Veterans’ Bill of Rights
and a Veterans’ Ombudsman." (p.45)
- "A Conservative government will: - Defend Canada’s primary producers
against repeated and unfounded international trade challenges." (p.46)
Green Party - B
- "76. Launch and maintain new processes driven by Aboriginal priorities
and legal entitlements, to address governance issues, a just and fair share
of lands and resources, legislative inconsistencies, policy inequities,
reconciliation and - according to the wishes of First Nations - the phased-out
elimination of the Indian Act." (p.15)
- "86. Implement full pay equity for women employed in the federal
sector. 87. Sign the UN's global initiative for the elimination of discrimination
and violence against women, and review Canada's performance to ensure it
becomes and remains a world leader in fighting discrimination and violence
against women." (p.17)
- "100. Conduct a full and open review of the Anti-Terrorism
Act and the Public Safety Act to eliminate security certificates and the
release of the five people detained under them unless formal charges are
brought against them.102. Open an investigation into allegations by the
United Nations Human Rights Committee of Canadian officials cooperating
with foreign agencies known to use torture." (p.19)
- "121. Use the full force of the Canada Health Act, federal spending
power and the notwithstanding clause of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms
to oppose any steps that open the way to two-tier health care in Canada."
(p.23)
- "180. Make service improvements a higher priority for all agencies
and departments, with systematic citizen feedback and a schedule for periodic
program review." (p.29)
- "182. Require long-term public departmental service plans to report
on government program purposes, costs, reforms and performance." (p.29)
- "198. Transfer federal tax points to sustain specific social services
such as health care on strict provincial guarantees that these funds will
be allocated to such services and that such funds will be used to reduce
the dependency provincial governments have developed to revenue from gambling."
(p.32)
Liberal Party - C
- "A Liberal government will work with the provinces, territories and
health care practitioners to implement a Canada Health Care Guarantee"
(p. 12, with details on pp.13-14)
- Protecting Canada’s universal public health care system: Liberals
are committed to high quality, publicly-funded health care for all medically-necessary
treatments - no extra billing; no queuejumping; no “second-tier” standard
of care in the public system. To ensure these objectives are met, a Liberal
government will implement a Public Health Care Protection Initiative. As
a result, the government will: - Consider it a violation of the Canada
Health Act if a physician provides the same medically-necessary services
to some patients on a privately paid basis and others on a publicly-insured
(medicare) basis, if such “dual practice” undermines access to publicly-insured
services. - Ensure that any new dedicated federal funding for health care
must be spent within the public system, if private involvement threatens
the integrity of the single-payer (medicare) system. - Request that the
Health Council of Canada and the Canada Institute for Health Information
(CIHI) report on the interface between public and private delivery of health
care in Canada and also on the allocation by provinces and territories
of health transfers from the federal government. - Continue to enforce
the compliance provisions of the Canada Health Act which entitle
the federal government to withhold transfer payments to a province or territory
provided there is recourse first to the Dispute Avoidance and Resolution
procedure established formally in 2004. (pp.17-18)
- "Under these agreements, provinces will invest federal funds in regulated
early learning and child care programs for children under six. Each province
will nonetheless have the flexibility to implement programs that address
their specific needs and objectives, so long as they are consistent with
the QUAD principles [Quality, Universally inclusive, Accessible and Developmental].
. . . - A National Quality Framework will be developed as the basis for
guidelines and evidence-based benchmarks for future programming." (pp.28-29)
- "A Paul Martin government will immediately submit Judge Gomery’s
second report to a Parliamentary Committee for study and advice to the
government and to Parliament." (p.77)
- "A Liberal government will continue to explore the underpinnings
of democratic renewal" (p.77)
- "In the coming year, a Liberal government will engage in dialogue
with Canadians to define the values and principles they wish to see reflected
in their democratic institutions." (p.77)
- "178. Provide parliamentarians with independent regulatory audits
on the effectiveness of government regulations in meeting their stated
public purposes." (p.29)
New Democrat Party - A-
- "Jack Layton and the NDP will not permit the dismantling of Canada’s
single-payer medicare system. We will oppose the privatization of Canada’s
health system. - Public funds to support the public system: In the next
Parliament, we will introduce tough new rules in the legislation and agreements
that govern federal transfers to provinces for health care. We will make
stable, long-term federal transfers for health care contingent on a commitment
from provinces and territories that no federal money, directly or indirectly,
will be used to subsidize a new, separate, profit-making private insurance
system covering medically necessary services. - Ending cross-subsidization:
We will make stable, long-term federal transfers for health care contingent
on no federal money being used to cover the salaries or costs of doctors
and other medical personnel involved in a new, separate, profit-making
private insurance system. - Accountable and enforced: These tough new rules,
along with all provisions of the Canada Health Act, will be monitored
and enforced." (p.11)
- "Recognizing Canada’s responsibilities for residential schools abuse
by quickly implementing lump-sum compensation, a Truth and Reconciliation
process and an apology by the Prime Minister in the House of Commons. Jack
Layton and the NDP will stop the federal government from wasting millions
of dollars challenging legitimate claims and painting victims as liars."
(p.20)
- "Accepting responsibility for efficient resolution of claims by respecting
the 1998 Joint Task Force report that recommends an independent, effective
system to resolve land claim disputes. Jack Layton and the NDP will establish
an Independent Claims Commission to decide on specific claims and a comprehensive
claims policy that respects Treaty-based settlements, so that Canada can
meet its legal obligations." (p.20)
- "Respecting implementation of the inherent right to self-governance
by creating legal space and recognition for the legitimacy and jurisdiction
of indigenous governments with a properly compensated and trained public
service and by promoting supporting systems of government that have the
support of communities and nations, including their instruments for accountability,
recourse to appeal, human rights, audits, matrimonial property and encouraging
the restoration of civil society and community-based non-governmental activity."
(p.22)
- "Keep governments accountable for their promises and obligations
by appointing a Parliamentary Commissioner to use international and mutually-acceptable
standards as the basis for regular public report cards on government conduct.
The Commissioner will receive and investigate complaints about government
actions or omissions, negotiate their resolution, and report to Parliament
when recommendations are not accepted and implemented." (p.22)
- "Pass a new Fixed Elections Act to end the power of the governing
party to control election timing by establishing fixed election dates."
(p.26)
- "Transforming NAFTA in order to achieve a fair trade policy. Deeper
economic integration with the United States is not working for Canada.
In light of recent and on-going trade disputes, the time has come for the
parties to NAFTA to take a new look at the treaty, and to find ways to
make it work in the cause of fair trade. We favour elimination of Chapter
11 (which, in our view, unreasonably limits Canada’s sovereignty in regulating
investment). We also favour changes to address the serious shortcomings
of the treaty provisions on energy and water. These issues require a broad
consensus ? and there is a striking consensus emerging about them across
Canada. To build on this growing consensus, we favour a public review of
every aspect of the impact of NAFTA on the Canadian
economy and Canadian public policy including tariffs, dispute resolution,
energy, corporate regulation and ownership and culture." (p.28)
- "Strengthen Canada’s homegrown film and television production by:
- Reviewing and restructuring the CRTC to avoid the mixed mandates and
conflicts of interest that undermine the role of the commission in promoting
and protecting Canadian cultural industries." (p.32)
- "Enact legislation to establish an independent Children’s Commissioner
to monitor, advocate and recommend on behalf of the rights and welfare
of Canada’s children. The Children’s Commissioner shall report annually
to Parliament." (p.33)
- "Issue a full apology to Chinese Canadians for the Chinese head tax
and the Chinese Exclusion Act and establish compensation to individuals
and their families beginning, on an urgent basis, with those still living."
(p.36)
- "Restructure the immigration appeal process to remove the discretionary
power of the minister to settle final appeals and to substitute for that
power an appeal to a politically independent, expert national appeal panel,
and implement the provisions of the Immigration and Refugee Protection
Act to establish the Refugee Appeal Division." (p.36)
- "Protecting pensions by: - Implementing a pension benefits insurance
system for employees under federal jurisdiction, and invite provincial
and territorial governments to join the system. - Working to end the clawback
of military and RCMP pensions when pensioners receive CPP benefits." (p.37)
- "Fighting to enact the NDP’s Seniors Charter we introduced in Parliament
in the fall of 2005 and to create a minister for seniors." (p.38)
- "Restoring fairness to equalization with a level playing field for
all Canadians within the equalization system. . . . For the long
term, we favour working with provincial and territorial governments to
develop a consistent rules-based system of fiscal equalization designed
to equalize basic services rather than simply revenue-raising capacity."
(p.42)
- "Speed up the identification, location and cleanup of all DND chemical
dumpsites (both on land and at sea)." (p.44)
- "Speed up the investigation and compensation of military and civilian
personnel exposed to Agent Orange/Agent Purple." (p.44)
- "Scrap the draconian Anti-Terrorism Act, written by Liberals and
opposed by the NDP, which has already impeded media freedom in Canada.
We will replace it with legislation that respects civil liberties, ethnic
communities and freedom of the press." (p.45)
- "Introduce legislation to ban racial profiling from federal departments
and jurisdictions." (p.45)
- "Respect the right of those accused of a crime to know the evidence
against them by banning the use of security certificates." (p.45)
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