Monday, October 16, 2000

OTTAWA - In an open letter to federal Ethics Counsellor Howard Wilson, Democracy Watch denounced the unnecessary six-month long investigation into the complaint it filed on April 13th concerning the fundraising event that lobbyist and former Liberal MP Barry Campbell organized in September 1999 for Jim Peterson, Secretary of State (International Financial Institutions), Department of Finance. Democracy Watch's letter calls for the immediate release of Wilson's ruling on whether Campbell violated the Lobbyists' Code of Conduct, and whether Peterson violated the Conflict of Interest and Post-Employment Code for Public Office Holders, and points out that its complaint letter provided all the evidence needed to make the ruling. (Contact Democracy Watch for text of letter)

Barry Campbell is the former Liberal MP for the St. Paul's riding in Toronto, and since mid-1998 a federally registered lobbyist as Chairman of the company APCO Canada, and has represented 11 corporations lobbying the Department of Finance, including five financial institutions. Media reported that over $70,000 was raised at the event Campbell organized for Peterson.

"The Ethics Counsellor's delay in ruling on our complaint is irresponsible and seriously undermines enforcement of ethics rules," said Duff Conacher, Coordinator of Democracy Watch, "The delay provides further evidence of just how much the Ethics Counsellor is a lapdog for the Liberals, not a watchdog for the public interest." Democracy Watch's April 13th letter also requested that Wilson investigate whether other lobbyists have organized similar events on behalf of other ministers. Six months is much more than enough time to have completed this investigation.

In addition, because it has not received responses to the letters it sent on April 13th, Democracy Watch again sent open letters to Jim Peterson and Finance Minister Paul Martin again demanding immediate and full disclosure of whether any other lobbyists have been or are in any way involved in fundraising activities for them, and disclosure of all donations to them, their riding associations, any related trust fund or leadership campaign fund from any person or organization involved in lobbying the Department of Finance since the 1997 federal election. Democracy Watch also again sent a letter to the Liberal Party of Canada requesting disclosure of all similar donations in 2000. (Contact Democracy Watch for text of letters)

"Sunshine is a good disinfectant against undue influence over the government," said Conacher, "Canadians have a right to know, as voters deciding who best represents them, who is helping bankroll Ministers and the governing party. After all, he who pays the piper calls the tune."