Government Ethics Campaign 2009

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Government Ethics Campaign - 2009

Democracy Watch released the following documents in 2009 in its Government Ethics Campaign
(newest to oldest):

WEBSITE ARTICLE: Democracy Watch's successful court challenge leads to stronger restrictions on federal lobbyists giving gifts and doing favours for politicians, parties and government officials (Maclean's magazine, December 23, 2009)
NEWS RELEASE: Federal Conservatives' Accountability and Democratic Reform Record Earns Only an "E" Grade For Breaking Many Promises and Practising Politics As Usual -- Three Years After Federal Accountability Act Became Law, Dishonesty, Conflicts of Interest, Excessive Secrecy, Unlimited Donations and Patronage All Still Legal -- Another, Stronger Accountability Act Needed (December 16, 2009)
WEBSITE ARTICLE: Like all lobbying registries across Canada, Alberta's has huge loopholes that allow for secret, unethical lobbying (Calgary Herald, December 14, 2009)
NEWS RELEASE: As International Anti-Corruption Day Passes By, Canadian Governments Continue to Fail to Fulfill UN Convention Against Corruption Requirements and Other International Standards (December 9, 2009)
NEWS RELEASE: Ontario Liberals Reject Good Government Amendments to Their "Bad Government Act" -- Dishonesty, Secret Unlimited Donations, Secret Lobbying, Excessive Secrecy and Conflicts of Interest Still Allowed, and Independence of Public Inquiries Undermined (December 3, 2009) -- To hear related interview on CIUT Toronto's "Take Five" morning show, click here (NOTE: The interview starts starts at the 3:30 min. mark of the show, and ends at the 15:30 min. mark of the show)
WEBSITE ARTICLE: Ontario Liberal government gives unjustifiable reasons for refusing to disclose details of contract for special prosecutor for Michael Bryant case (CTV.ca and 18 other media outlets, November 26, 2009) -- To hear related radio piece on CIUT Toronto's "Take Five" morning show, click here (NOTE: The piece starts starts at the 4 min. mark of the show, and ends at the 15 min. mark of the show)
WEBSITE ARTICLE: Given provincial laws that prohibit lobbyists from giving benefits to politicians or putting them in even a potential conflict of interest, activities of Ontario lobbyist raise serious questions (London Free Press and two other Sunmedia newspapers, November 17, 2009) -- To see related article, click here
WEBSITE ARTICLE: Federal lobbyists raise unreasonable concerns in response to Commissioner of Lobbying's new ethics Guideline (Hill Times, November 16, 2009)
NEWS RELEASE: Forced By Federal Court of Appeal Ruling, Federal Commissioner of Lobbying Finally Bans Lobbyists From Giving Gifts and Doing Favours For Politicians, Their Staff and Government Officials -- Will the Commissioner Uphold the Ban When Ruling on Past, Current and Future Cases? (November 12, 2009)
TV INTERVIEW (Part 1): Duff Conacher interviewed by StraightGoods.com about lobbying, ethics and political donation rules and weak enforcement in Canada and unethical lobbying activities (November 7, 2009)
TV INTERVIEW (Part 2): Duff Conacher interviewed by StraightGoods.com about loopholes in Canada's political donations system and weak enforcement that allow wealthy interests to buy influence (November 7, 2009)
OP-ED: Secret donations and unethical actions will continue to corrupt Canadian politics regularly until key changes are made -- Politicians of all stripes continue to protect a corrupt system (Guelph Mercury, Kitchener-Waterloo Record, Montreal Gazette, November 3-4, 2009, Hill Times, November 9, 2009)
NEWS RELEASE: Group Files Additional Information Supporting Complaints To Lobbying Commissioner, Ethics Commissioner and Elections Canada About Fundraising Events That Raise Serious Questions Held by Federal Conservatives Rick Dykstra and Lisa Raitt (November 3, 2009)
NEWS RELEASE: Group Files Complaints With Lobbying Commissioner, Ethics Commissioner and Elections Canada About Lobbyist's Assistance With Federal Conservative Fundraising Event That Raises Serious Questions (October 22, 2009)
NEWS RELEASE: Group Files Complaints With Lobbying Commissioner, Ethics Commissioner and Elections Canada About Federal Conservative Fundraising Event At Rogers Centre That Raises Serious Questions (October 16, 2009)
LETTER-TO-THE-EDITOR: If Federal Conservatives Had Kept Their Promise to End Secret Lobbying, Canadians Would Have Key Information Needed to Judge Fairness of Federal Government Decisions (Hill Times, October 12, 2009)
NEWS RELEASE: Democracy Watch Marks Second International Day of Democracy -- Calls on Political Parties Across Canada to Make Much-Needed and Well-Known Democratizing Changes (September 15, 2009)
WEBSITE ARTICLE: Federal Conservative Defence and Atlantic Canada Minister Peter MacKay has role in two family companies in violation of the Conflict of Interest Act -- federal Ethics Commissioner must investigate to determine whether MacKay was involved in decisions about government funding programs that could benefit the companies (Canada.com and 11 CanWest News Service newspapers and GlobalTV.com and National Post, September 3-4, 2009)
WEBSITE ARTICLE: Federal Conservative Defence and Atlantic Canada Minister Peter MacKay has role in two family companies in violation of Conflict of Interest Act -- federal Ethics Commissioner must investigate to determine whether MacKay was involved in decisions about government funding programs that could benefit the companies (Halifax Chronicle Herald, September 3, 2009)
OP-ED: Loophole-filled, so-called five year ban on lobbying must be strengthened, not weakened, to help ensure ethical federal politics (Hill Times, August 31, 2009)
NEWS RELEASE: Given Ruling in Ottawa Mayor Larry O'Brien Case, Democracy Watch Calls on Federal Director of Public Prosecutions to Review Other Recent Questionable Cabinet Appointment and Favour-Trading Cases -- Ethics Commissioners Across Canada Must Also Issue Guidelines Clearing Up Ethics Rules on Favour-Trading, and Public Appointments Commissions Must Be Created to Prevent Patronage and Cronyism (August 6, 2009)
OP-ED: Ruling in O’Brien case only first step to stopping lobbying and Canadian government’s patronage games (Ottawa Citizen, August 6, 2009 and Montreal Gazette, August 7, 2009 and Halifax Chronicle Herald, August 13, 2009)
WEBSITE ARTICLE: Government patronage and cronyism will continue after O'Brien case ruling unless laws are clearly and publicly defined, enforcement is strong, and independent appointment commissions are created (Globe and Mail (Lawrence Martin's column), August 5-6, 2009)
TESTIMONY AND NEWS RELEASE: Group's Final Policy Submission to Oliphant Commission Details 20 Unethical, But Still Legal, Actions By Cabinet Ministers and Others in Federal Politics, and 10 Key Flaws in Enforcement Systems -- Loopholes in Ethics and Openness Laws Must Be Closed, and Enforcement Strengthened, To Prevent Ethics Violations and Excessive Secrecy (July 31, 2009)
LETTER-TO-THE-EDITOR: MPs Make Incredible Claims That Their New Ethics Code Loopholes Were Added Unknowingly, and Pose No Problems (Hill Times, June 22, 2009)
TESTIMONY AND NEWS RELEASE: Oliphant Inquiry's Policy Review This Week Opens Door to Closing Loopholes, Strengthening Enforcement of Federal Ethics, Lobbying, Political Finance and Open Government Rules (June 15, 2009)
NEWS RELEASE: Supreme Court of Canada Refuses To Hear Ethics Law Appeal Case -- Ruling Means Cabinet Ministers Can Control Investigations of Themselves, Their Staff, Family and Friends -- Ruling Also Allows Ethics Commissioner to Refuse to Rule on Complaints Filed by the Public, and to Ignore Law in Her Rulings (June 12, 2009)
WEBSITE ARTICLE: Federal politicians decide in secret meetings to create loopholes in their ethics rules to allow political party leaders to buy them off, decreasing their independence (CTV.ca and 28 other media outlets across Canada (all publishing Canadian Press wire article), June 6-8, 2009)
WEBSITE ARTICLE: Ottawa Mayor Larry O'Brien is being prosecuted for alleging offering a possible federal government appointment -- past offers by others should be reconsidered by prosecutors (Canoe.ca and 17 other media outlets across Canada (all publishing Canadian Press wire article), June 2, 2009)
LETTER-TO-THE-EDITOR: Senate Ethics Officer lacks key investigation powers compared to federal Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner, so Bill C-30 should be passed or Senate ethics code changed in key ways (Hill Times, June 1, 2009)
WEBSITE ARTICLE: Proposed Quebec ethics code for provincial politicians and their staff is full of huge loopholes, and will be weakly enforced (Montreal Gazette (Don MacPherson's column), May 28, 2009)
LETTER-TO-THE-EDITOR: If Federal Conservatives Had Kept Their Promise to Create an Independent Public Appointments Commission in 2006, Cabinet Ministers Would Be Sheltered From Accusations of Rewarding Party Favours With Appointments (National Post and Canada.com, May 25, 2009 and Edmonton Journal, May 29, 2009)
LETTER-TO-THE-EDITOR: Federal government still needs key democratic reforms (in part because of past Conservative and Liberal broken promises), but is more democratic and accountable than 20 years ago (Hill Times, May 11, 2009)
WEBSITE ARTICLE: Because MPs weakened ethics rules last year, federal Ethics Commissioner has no jurisdiction to examine allegations about unethical activities such as those against Liberal MP Ruby Dhalla (Macleans.ca (Capital Read column), May 8, 2009)
LETTER-TO-THE-EDITOR: Arguments against setting up government ethics commissioner for Quebec like NHL getting rid of all referees because a few have made bad calls in the past (Montreal Gazette, April 30, 2009)
LETTER-TO-THE-EDITOR: Prime Minister Harper's Conservatives have broken as many government accountability promises as they have kept, have failed to clean up the federal government and have increased voter cynicism, just like Jean Chretien's Liberals did (Canada.com and Nanaimo Daily News, April 8, 2009)
WEBSITE ARTICLE: Prime Minister Harper's Conservatives have broken as many government accountability promises as they have kept, failing to clean up the federal government and increasing voter cynicism (Canada.com and 3 CanWest News Service newspapers, April 4, 2009)
TESTIMONY: Duff Conacher on needed changes to close loopholes in, and clarify, the gift-acceptance rules in the Conflict of Interest Code for Members of the House of Commons before the Subcommittee on Gifts of the House of Commons Standing Committee on Procedure and House Affairs and brief submitted to the Subcommittee (April 2, 2009)
NEWS RELEASE: Democracy Watch Applies to Appeal to Supreme Court of Canada Challenging Federal Court of Appeal's Ruling About Ethics Commissioner's Decision On Whether Prime Minister Harper and His Cabinet Are in a Conflict of Interest Over Mulroney-Schreiber Situation -- Democracy Watch Still Seeks MPs and Senators to Re-file Complaint to Ensure Commissioner Rules On Issue, and to Change Ethics Law to Ensure Public Rulings on Complaints Filed by Anyone (March 27, 2009)
NEWS RELEASE: Federal Court of Appeal Rules That Lobbyists Violate Rule 8 of Lobbyists' Code of Conduct If They Do Anything To Create Any Private Interest Or Obligation That Conflicts With Any Public Duty of a Federal Politician or Government Official -- Court Declines to Order New Hearing and Makes No Finding Concerning Conduct of Lobbyist Conduct Who Organized Fundraising Event in 1999 for Cabinet Minister (March 17, 2009) -- To see article and video interview about the ruling, click here
NEWS RELEASE: Global Integrity 2008 Report Drops Canada From "Strong" to "Moderate" Level in World's Most Detailed Assessment of Government Integrity and Democracy (February 18, 2009)
LETTER-TO-THE-EDITOR: Former federal Privacy Commissioner George Radwanski not convicted of government spending crime, but judge's ruling made it clear that does not mean Radwanski acted properly (Vancouver Sun and Montreal Gazette, February 17-18, 2009)
WEBSITE ARTICLE: Free food and drink receptions by lobbyists for federal MPs create conflicts of interest -- Ethics Commissioner's new guideline bans such gifts to Cabinet ministers, their staff and senior government officials (Canoe.ca, CTV.ca and 20 other media outlet websites across Canada (all publishing Canadian Press wire article), February 15, 2009)
WEBSITE ARTICLE: Alberta's Conservative government shows its opposition to open government by failing to set up registry of lobbyists more than two years after law creating registry was passed (Calgary Herald, February 13, 2009)
WEBSITE ARTICLE: Democracy Watch granted standing as a full party for Oliphant Commission of Inquiry into the Mulroney-Schreiber affair's review of federal ethics, political financing, spending and access to information laws and enforcement systems (Canoe.ca and 26 other media outlets across Canada (all publishing Canadian Press wire article), February 11, 2009)
NEWS RELEASE: Federal Court of Appeal Cuts Off Hearing, Rules That Ethics Commissioner Didn't Legally Rule, and Doesn't Have to Rule, on Complaint About Whether Prime Minister Harper and His Cabinet Are in a Conflict of Interest When Making Decisions About Mulroney-Schreiber Situation - Democracy Watch Seeks MPs and Senators to Re-file Complaint to Ensure Commissioner Rules on Issue, and to Change Ethics Law to Ensure Public Rulings on Complaints Filed by Anyone (January 23, 2009)
WEBSITE ARTICLE: Democracy Watch seeks standing as party and/or intervenor in Oliphant Commission of Inquiry into Mulroney-Schreiber affair to recommend changes to federal ethics, political financing, spending and access to information laws and enforcement systems (CBC.ca and 29 other media outlets across Canada (all publishing Canadian Press wire article), January 22, 2009) -- To see Democracy Watch's submission, click here
WEBSITE ARTICLE: Federal Court of Appeal cuts hearing short, makes highly questionable ruling refusing to review federal Ethics Commissioner's "opinion" that Prime Minister Harper and his Cabinet were not in a conflict of interest when making decisions about Mulroney-Schreiber situation -- Court also rules Commissioner does not have to review complaints filed by the public (CBC.ca and 25 other media outlets across Canada (all publishing Canadian Press wire article), January 21, 2009)
NEWS RELEASE: Federal Court of Appeal Hearing on Wednesday of Landmark Case Challenging Federal Ethics Commissioner's Ruling That Prime Minister Harper and His Cabinet Are Not in a Conflict of Interest When Making Decisions About Mulroney-Schreiber Situation, and Challenging Constitutionality of Ethics Complaint System (January 19, 2009)
WEBSITE ARTICLE: Federal government institutions in a conflict of interest when investigating themselves (often in secret) in cases of wrongdoing -- independent, public investigations needed (CBC.ca and 29 other media outlets across Canada (all publishing Canadian Press wire article), January 18-19, 2009)
NEWS RELEASE: Federal Court of Appeal Hearing on Monday of Landmark Case Challenging Ruling that Approved of a Lobbyist Organizing a Fundraising Event for a Cabinet Minister He Was Registered to Lobby -- Ethics Commissioner's New Guideline Strongly Reaffirms that Federal Cabinet Ministers/Senior Officials Cannot Accept Gifts or Favours From Lobbyists (January 9, 2009) -- To see Canadian Press wire articles about the court case published by GlobeandMail.com and 33 other media outlets across Canada, click here (January 11-12, 2009), and by CBC.ca and 15 other media outlets across Canada, click here (January 12, 2009)

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