Money In Politics Campaign 2008

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Money in Politics Campaign - 2008

Democracy Watch released the following documents in 2008 in its Money in Politics Campaign
(in reverse chronological order):

REPORT CARD: Federal Conservatives' So-Called "Federal Accountability Act" and Related Decisions Earn a "D" Grade For Only Partially Increasing Government Democracy and Accountability (December 12, 2008) -- To see Canadian Press wire article about the Report Card published by 23 media outlets across Canada, click here)
NEWS RELEASE: As International Anti-Corruption Day Passes By, Canadian Governments Continue to Fail to Fulfill UN Convention Against Corruption Requirements (December 9, 2008)
LETTER-TO-THE-EDITOR: Federal political parties should stop their bluffing, set aside their self-interests, and reach a democratic compromise on funding for the economy, and for themselves (Moncton Times and Transcript, National Post, December 2, 2008)
OP-ED: Federal political parties reveal how much self-interest motivates them in fight over their public funding -- A democratic compromise is to cut per-vote funding in half (Montreal Gazette, November 30, 2008)
WEBSITE ARTICLE and VIDEO: Federal opposition parties call Conservative government's weak-handed bluff on economic and public per-vote funding of political parties, but compromise likely because opposition parties also have weak hand (CTV.ca, November 29, 2008 -- click on link on page to see video of interview of Democracy Watch Coordinator Duff Conacher)
WEBSITE ARTICLE: Federal Conservatives' proposal to cut public per-vote political party funding to zero goes too far, but funding should be cut in half (Canoe.ca and 21 other media outlets (all publishing a Canadian Press wire article), November 28, 2008)
RADIO INTERVIEW: Federal Conservatives' proposal to cut public per-vote political party funding to zero goes to far, but funding should be cut in half (CBC Radio's "As It Happens" show (6th interview), November 27, 2008)
OP-ED: Federal Conservatives broke 2006 election promise to establish independent Parliamentary Budget Officer -- actual Accountability Act needed to close accountability loopholes, strengthen independence and powers of all enforcement agencies (Hill Times, November 17, 2008)
NEWS RELEASE: Illegal Federal Election Shows Clear Need For Changes to Increase Turnout, and Ensure Honesty, Fairness, Ethics and Representation (October 15, 2008)
REPORT CARD: NDP Receives Best Grade in Report Card on Parties' Good Government Platforms, Greens Close Behind, Conservatives and Liberals Receive Worst Grades (October 10, 2008)
WEBSITE ARTICLE: Federal Conservatives broke half of their 2006 election promises, especially in area of increasing government openness and accountability (CTV.ca and other media outlets across Canada (publishing Canadian Press wire article), September 28, 2008)
NEWS RELEASE: Democracy Watch Marks First International Day of Democracy -- Calls on Political Parties Across Canada to Make Democratizing Changes (September 15, 2008)
NEWS RELEASE: Canada Holds 40th Undemocratic Federal Election -- Canadians Will Elect Yet Another Undemocratic, Unaccountable Federal Government (September 12, 2008)
NEWS RELEASE: Conservatives’ False Claims About Fixed-Election-Date Law Bite Back -- Federal Election Should Not Be Held Until House of Commons Votes Against Significant Government Measure, and Until Other Key Issues are Resolved (September 5, 2006)
WEBSITE ARTICLE: New federal Canadian political donations and funding system still has big loopholes and flaws, but limits at least force parties to listen more to Canadians and address their concerns if they want to prosper financially (Canada.com, August 1, 2008)
NEWS RELEASE: If Conservatives Had Kept Their Accountability Act Promises, Parliament Would Be Working Better, and Scandals Like the Couillard Affair Would Be Prevented -- Will All Parties Finally Work Together Now to Close Accountability Loopholes? (July 31, 2008)
WEBSITE ARTICLE: Democracy Watch Coordinator Duff Conacher says Federal Court will likely rule that local candidates should have claimed only 10%-20% of TV ad costs, not 100%, in federal Conservatives' ad spending scheme during 2006 federal election, and so Conservatives will be found guilty of overspending by about $900,000 (Hill Times, July 28, 2008)
LETTER-TO-THE-EDITOR: Federal Conservatives broke almost half of their government accountability and democratic reform promises -- will any federal political party take the lead on these key issues? (Globe and Mail, July 22, 2008)
NEWS RELEASE: Prime Minister Harper Fails to Respond to Complaint About Minister Van Loan’s Dishonesty On Group’s Position On Conservatives’ Election Spending Scheme (July 17, 2008)
WEBSITE ARTICLE: Federal Conservatives' Bill C-29 only partially closes political loans loophole -- allows banks to continue to loan an unlimited amount to federal parties and candidates (Hill Times, June 23, 2008)
WEBSITE ARTICLE: B.C. Liberal government proposes to limit spending on paid advertising by third parties (non-political parties) but fails to limit donations to candidates and parties, skewing election financing in favour of B.C. Liberal Party's corporate bankrollers (TheTyee.ca, May 19, 2008)
WEBSITE ARTICLE: Elections Canada should prosecute federal Liberal leadership candidates for violating donation limits through loans to their vanity campaigns (Toronto Star, May 14, 2008)
RADIO DEBATE: Democracy Watch Coordinator Duff Conacher debates Gerry Nicholls of the U.S.-based Democracy Institute on laws limiting spending on paid advertising by individuals and interest groups during election-campaign periods -- MP3 format (QR77 Alberta talk radio ("The World Tonight" show), May 13, 2008)
WEBSITE ARTICLE: Alberta political parties respond to Democracy Watch's call for political finance reforms, finally (Edmonton Journal and Calgary Herald, May 9, 2008)
NEWS RELEASE: Group Calls on Federal Minister Peter Van Loan To Apologize for Lying About Democracy Watch’s Position on Conservatives’ Election Spending Scheme -- Files Complaint Calling on Prime Minister Harper To Penalize Van Loan’s Blatant Dishonesty (April 25, 2008)
LETTER-TO-THE-EDITOR: Parliamentary Budget Officer lacks much-needed independence in latest of federal Conservatives' 30 broken government accountability promises (Hill Times, April 7, 2008)
RADIO INTERVIEW: Interview about Alberta's 2008 provincial election and lack of effective good government and government accountability system in Alberta (Aired on CJSW Radio (Calgary), March 10, 2008 -- NOTE: Link takes you to journalist Niall McKenna's website)
OP-ED: Donations of money, property and services continue to corrupt Canadian politics because of loopholes in laws and lack of effective enforcement and penalties (Straightgoods.com website on February 19, 2008, Hill Times and Kitchener-Waterloo Record on February 25, 2008)
WEBSITE ARTICLE: Calgary has most undemocratic mayor and city council secret money can buy because of complete lack of donation and spending limits (Calgary Herald, February 22, 2008)
NEWS RELEASE: Federal Liberals’ Fundraising Auction of Cash for Access to MPs Violates Canada Elections Act and MPs’ Ethics Rules -- Party and MPs Must Be Penalized (February 15, 2008)
WEBSITE ARTICLE: Federal Conservatives' broken promises, especially in area of government accountability, are ever-increasing (Toronto Star, February 5, 2008)
NEWS RELEASE: Global Integrity Report Ranks Canada 8th Out Of 55 Countries in World’s Most Comprehensive Assessment of Government Accountability and Integrity -- Gifts and Donations Loopholes, Secrecy, Lack of Merit-Based Appointments Process Main Weaknesses in Canada (January 30, 2008)
OP-EDs: Despite Federal Accountability Act, many of the alleged questionable actions in the Mulroney-Schreiber affair are still legal, and Preston Manning's proposals for cleaning things up have been tried and would weaken political ethics enforcement (Kitchener-Waterloo Record, CanadaEast.com website, Hill Times, Calgary Herald, December 20, 2007 to January 18, 2008)
WEBSITE ARTICLE: Vancouver, like many Canadian cities, has the best city council secret money can buy because of lack of donation and spending limits and effective disclosure requirements (24hrs.ca, January 16, 2008)

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