NEWS RELEASE: Ontarians should not be surprised at low voter turnout in provincial by-elections -- Changes needed to election timing, voting system, and voter rights and advertising to increase voter turnout in by-elections and general elections (September 7, 2012)
LETTER-TO-THE-EDITOR: NDP's ad scheme shows need for audits, rulings disclosure by Elections Canada (The Hill Times,
September 3, 2012) -- To see related Hill Times piece, click
here
NEWS RELEASE: Coalition
Avenir Québec receives D+ best grade of bad
overall grades in Report Card on Québec
Parties' Democratic Good Government Platforms --
Parti Québecois receive a D, Québec
solidaire an F and Liberals an Incomplete
(August 31, 2012)
WEBSITE ARTICLE: Alberta government keeping financial details on the state of the province's finances secret dangerous for democracy -- Government information must by default be public (Calgary Herald, August 31, 2012)
TV PIECE: With big banks posting record profits an independent financial consumer watchdog group and regular audits are required to ensure banks are not reaping excessive profits through gouging and cutting services (CBC's The National August 30, 2012)
WEBSITE ARTICLE: With big banks posting record profits an independent financial consumer watchdog group and regular audits are required to ensure banks are not reaping excessive profits through gouging and cutting services (GlobalNews.ca, August 30, 2012)
WEBSITE ARTICLE: Situation
with Prime Minister's Chief of Staff Nigel Wright
highlights major loopholes in the Conflict of
Interest Act that need to be closed (Macleans
Magazine, GlobalNews.ca and 11 other media
outlets across Canada (all publishing Canadian Press
wire article), August 29, 2012)
OP-ED: Nigel
Wright's meetings wrong, but legal (and that is the
problem) (Rabble.ca, August 29, 2012)
TV PIECE: Nigel
Wright's meetings wrong, but legal (and that is the
problem) (Global National, August 28, 2012)
TV PIECE: Senator
Fairbairn's unfortunate situation impossible to stop
no matter what systemic change is made (CTV
News, August 28, 2012)
NEWS RELEASE: Elections
Canada refuses to clarify key measures in federal
elections law - Democracy Watch again calls for
clarification of recent flawed ruling (August
28, 2012)
NEWS RELEASE: Ontario
by-election dates bad for voter turnout -- Changes
needed to election timing, voting system, and
voter rights and advertising to increase voter
turnout... (August 22, 2012) -- To see related Windsor
Star piece, click
here -- To see
related Rabble.ca piece, click
here.
WEBSITE ARTICLE: Ethics
Commissioner Mary Dawson ignores evidence and rules
in refusing to investigate Conservative MP Paul
Calandra (Globe and Mail, August 17,
2012)
LETTER-TO-THE-EDITOR: Quebec
election timing is unfair and undemocratic -- Honesty-in-Politics
law and fixed election dates among key changes
needed (The Hill Times,
August 17, 2012)
NEWS RELEASE: Quebec
election date unfair and undemocratic -- bad
timing will likely result in low voter turnout
(August 16, 2012)
WEBSITE ARTICLE: If
Quebec politicians are serious about fighting
corruption they must target Bill 48 and close major
loopholes that allow politicians to be unethical
(Montreal Gazette, August 15, 2012)
WEBSITE ARTICLE: Corruption
takes over Quebec election race - parties need to
break from political games, make promises to clean
up government, and follow through (Montreal
Gazette, August 14, 2012)
NEWS RELEASE: Democracy
Watch calls for clarification on recent flawed
interpretation of Canada Elections Act by
Commissioner of Canada Elections (August 14,
2012) -- To see
related Rabble.ca piece, click
here -- To see
related Inside Politics piece, click
here -- To see
related Winnipeg Free Press piece, click
here
LETTER-TO-THE-EDITOR: Public
has clear right to know what political staffers are
doing and what power they have (The Epoch
Times and Canada.com August 9, 2012)
LETTER-TO-THE-EDITOR: Elections
Canada needs new powers to clean up election system,
but has an enforcement problem (The Hill
Times, August 6, 2012)
LETTER-TO-THE-EDITOR: Hopefully
Prime Minister Stephen Harper will sometime soon
start upholding his Accountability Guide
rules, given that he has ignored them so far in
situations involving many of his Cabinet ministers
and senior government officials. (The Hill
Times, August 6, 2012)
WEBSITE ARTICLE: Federal
Conservatives fail to initiate Conflict of
Interest Act review by legally required
deadline -- Democracy Watch leads push for
review and to close huge loopholes in Act and
strengthen enforcement because all parties have
ignored problems for decades (The
Hill Times, July 31, 2012)
LETTER-TO-THE-EDITOR: Federal
Conservative Party response to Carson charges deeply
hypocritical, federal ethics rules must be applied
equally to all (Huffington Post, July
30, 2012)
WEBSITE ARTICLE: Elections
Canada needs new powers to clean up election system,
and has an enforcement problem (The Hill
Times, July 30, 2012)
WEBSITE ARTICLE: MP
Paul Calandra's fundraising events violate Prime
Minister Harper's own rules, and raise serious
questions about violations of federal ethics and
lobbying laws (The Hill Times, July 30,
2012)
WEBSITE ARTICLE: Prime
Minister's Office ignores own rules in defending
Conservative MP Paul Calandara in fundraising
controversy (The Globe and Mail, July
26, 2012)
WEBSITE ARTICLE: Elections
Canada faces serious questions about its enforcement
system -- must prove it has been enforcing
law and holding fair elections by disclosing
rulings in 3,000 complaints it has received since
1997 (The Hill Times, July
23, 2012)
LETTER-TO-THE-EDITOR: The
Hill Times’ Terrific 25 Staffers Survey should
include the ‘most
ethical’ too -- and huge loopholes in
federal ethics rules must be closed, and
enforcement strengthened (The Hill
Times, July 23, 2012)
WEBSITE ARTICLE: Prime
Minister Harper's senior adviser takes government
relations job with Air Canada, raising serious
questions about violations of federal ethics and
lobbying laws (Globe
and Mail, July 20, 2012)
LETTER-TO-THE-EDITOR: Ethics
Commissioner Mary Dawson ignores evidence and rules
in ruling on Conservative Cabinet Minister Tony
Clement (iPolitics, The Tyee, and
Rabble.ca, July 19, 2012)
NEWS RELEASE: Ruling
by Commissioner of Canada Elections much too
narrowly interprets key Canada Elections Act
measures that prohibit influence of voters by
foreigners, and uses invalid excuses for not
investigating (July 12, 2012)
LETTER-TO-THE-EDITOR: Elections
Canada and others should clean up problems, not
defend them (National
Post and Edmonton
Journal, the Epoch Times July 12,
2012, and The Hill Times July 23, 2012)
TV PIECE: Openness
and transparency required at Elections Canada -
details on thousands of past investigations and
complaints needed (CBC's The National, July 10,
2012)
LETTER-TO-THE-EDITOR: Federal
Access to Information Act Review by Commissioner is
Great News (National
Post, July 9, 2012)
NEWS RELEASE: Federal
government whistleblower watchdog fails to deliver
after five years and $30 million spent. (June
28, 2012)
OP-ED: Parliamentary
Budget Officer Needs Enforcement Powers (The Epoch Times
(English Edition), June 21, 2012)
LETTER-TO-THE-EDITOR: Canada
needs more honest, ethical, open government (Hill Times and
the Toronto Star,
June 16, 2012)
TV PIECE: Federal
Auditor General's report on MP and Senator
disappointment, AG is legally required to regularly
audit MP and Senate expenses in full (CTV's
National Affairs, June 13, 2012)
WEBSITE ARTICLE: Federal
Auditor General's report on House of Commons and
Senate spending disappointing, AG is required to
audit MP's expenses (National Post and 9 other media
outlets (all publishing Canadian Press wire article),
June 13, 2012)
WEBSITE ARTICLE: Federal
Auditor General's report on House of Commons and
Senate spending disappointing, AG is required to
audit MP's expenses (Globe and Mail, June 13, 2012)
WEBSITE ARTICLE: Newfoundland
provincial Conservative bill to expand exemptions to
Access to Information requests and increase what is
considered cabinet confidentiality dangerously
undemocratic (CBC.ca, June 12, 2012)
TV PIECE: Senate
Ethics Officer required to seek approval of senators
prior to investigation into potential wrongdoing,
must be made an independent watchdog with power to
investigate and levy high fines (Radio Canada,
June 7, 2012)
WEBSITE ARTICLE: Among
the Rebels: Duff Conacher on Occupy Canada (This Magazine,
May 24, 2012)
LETTER-TO-THE-EDITOR: Conservative
MP's budget concerns, and solutions
(iPolitics.ca, May 24, 2012)
NEWS RELEASE: House
Committee recommends some key changes to strengthen
federal Lobbying Act and enforcement system, but
fails to address huge loopholes that allow secret,
unethical lobbying of the federal government
(May 17, 2012)
NEWS RELEASE: Federal
Conservatives fail to initiate review of
whistleblower law by
legal deadline: groups fear government end-run on
whistleblower law. (May 16, 2012)
LETTER-TO-THE-EDITOR: Federal
democracy and good government watchdogs are lapdogs
in key ways -- will Conservatives make
much-needed changes? (Globe and Mail,
May 15, 2012)
WEBSITE ARTICLE: Green
Party MP May re-files Democracy Watch complaint
about Conservatives' unethical relations with Rahim
Jaffer (iPolitics.ca, May 7, 2012) To see more
information about original complaint, go to: this
page
WEBSITE ARTICLE: Elections
Alberta should tighten robocall rules and limit
information parties can tell voters (Calgary Herald,
May 2, 2012)
WEBSITE ARTICLE: Federal
Conservative spending scandals show need for
stronger rules, and enforcement (Vancouver Sun,
May 1, 2012)
LETTER-TO-THE-EDITOR: Federal
Conservative spending scandals show need for
stronger rules, and enforcement (Edmonton Journal,
April 30, 2012)
TV PIECE: Spending
scandals show need for stronger rules, and
enforcement (CBC's The National, April 29, 2012)
TV PIECE: Federal
Conservative spending scandals show clear need for
strong rules, enforcement, and penalties (CTV's
Power Play, April 25, 2012)
NEWS RELEASE:
Albertans should not be surprised at low voter
turnout in provincial election: Voting system,
failure of Elections Alberta to inform voters of
right to decline their ballot likely reasons for
turnout (April 25, 2012) -- To see related
Calgary Sun article, click
here
NEWS RELEASE: Federal
Conservatives end their five-year sham by cutting
funding to secretariat of non-existent Public
Appointments Commission (April 19, 2012)
NEWS RELEASE: Federal
Conservatives' Open Government Action Plan fails to
fulfill Open Government Partnership (OGP) membership
requirements -- fails to commit to
strengthening access-to-information, ethics,
lobbying, political finance, financial
administration, public consultation and
whistleblower protection laws and enforcement
(April 17, 2012) -- To
see related Canadian Press wire article, click
here
NEWS RELEASE: Elections
Canada keeps rulings secret on 2,982 complaints
since 1997 -- Federal politicians continue
to fail to require disclosure of key information
to ensure the Canada Elections Act is enforced
fairly and effectively (April 16,
2012) -- To see
related Huffington Post article, click
here
WEBSITE ARTICLE: Alberta's
Progressive Conservative and Wildrose parties bought
off by large corporate donations (Open File
Calgary, April 13, 2012)
WEBSITE ARTICLE: Federal
Conservatives' Open Government Partnership Action
Plan is only an open data plan, not a plan for open,
ethical government (GlobalNews.ca and 18 other
media outlets (all publishing Canadian Press wire
article), April 12, 2012) -- To see related
news release, click
here
OP-ED: Fighter
jet spending scandal yet another example of why good
government watchdogs must disclose identity of
wrongdoers and be given power to penalize them
(HuffingtonPost.ca and Rabble.ca, April 4, 2012, and
in Vancouver Sun
and Regina Leader
Post, April 9, 2012)
TV PIECE: Some
of Canada's big banks gouge seniors by failing to
tell them about fee-free accounts (CBC TV's
Marketplace show, April 6, 2012 -- NOTE: Piece starts
at 21 minute mark and runs for 5 minutes)
WEBSITE ARTICLE: Too
high limits and other loopholes allow wealthy
interests to buy influence over Alberta politicians
(Calgary Herald
and 2 other Postmedia News newspapers, April 4, 2012)
WEBSITE ARTICLE: Federal
Conservatives trying to spin open data plan and old
initiatives as an actual open government plan
(Global News.ca and 18 other media outlets across
Canada (all publishing Canadian Press wire article),
April 2-3, 2012)
LETTER-TO-THE-EDITOR: Elections
Canada discloses some information about robocall
complaints from 2011 election, but must still
disclose its rulings on more than 2,280 complaints
it received since 2004, and elections law must still
be changed (Rabble.ca, March 29, 2012)
TV INTERVIEW: Democracy
Watch Board member Duff Conacher on why Conservative
Cabinet minister Christian Paradis should be kicked
out of Cabinet, and changes needed to federal ethics
rules and enforcement (CTV's Power Play show,
March 27, 2012)
TV INTERVIEW: Democracy
Watch Board member Duff Conacher on changes needed
to increase corporate responsibility and
accountability laws in Canada (CTV's National
Affairs show, March 26, 2012)
LETTER-TO-THE-EDITOR: Federal
Ethics Commissioner's ruling that Conservative
Cabinet minister Christian Paradis broke federal
ethics law is a step forward, but delayed ruling and
failure of Prime Minister Harper to punish Paradis
are among fatal flaws in system (Canada.com,
March 22, 2012) -- To see related interview with
Ethics Commissioner on CBC's Power and Politics, click
here
WEBSITE ARTICLE: Alberta
Conservatives break promise, so far, to pass
whistleblower protection law (Calgary Herald
and Edmonton
Journal, March 19, 2012)
LETTER-TO-THE-EDITOR: Elections
Canada takes some positive steps, but must still
disclose its rulings on more than 2,280 complaints
it received since 2004, and elections law must still
be changed (Rabble.ca, March 16, 2012, Epoch Times,
March 24, 2012 and Hill
Times, March 26, 2012)
WEBSITE ARTICLE: Federal
Dept. of Aboriginal Affairs using PIN messages to
avoid disclosure of records to the public -- loophole
in Access to Information Act must be closed
(APTN.ca and TV news, March 14, 2012)
LETTER-TO-THE-EDITOR: Bill
giving Elections Canada more powers and making false
election phone calls essentially impossible still
needs to be passed, and Elections Canada must still
disclose its rulings on more than 2,280 complaints
it received since 2004 (Winnipeg Free Press, March 14, 2012)
WEBSITE ARTICLE: House
of Commons adopts Democracy Watch's proposal to give
Elections Canada more investigation powers, and to
make false election phone calls impossible, but law
still needs to be changed (Toronto Star,
March 13-14, 2012)
NEWS RELEASE: As
banking fees increase yet again, federal government
action needed to ensure record big bank profits not
based on gouging and ignoring job-creating
businesses -- Bill S-5 too weak --
Comprehensive audits, and new Financial Consumer
Organization needed for effective bank and
financial services industry accountability, and
for financial literacy
(Canadian Community Reinvestment, March 12, 2012)
- To see related Global TV National News March 13th
piece, click
here
WEBSITE ARTICLE: Lots
of corporate lobbyists lobbying on federal budget,
but loopholes mean secret, unethical lobbying is
still legal (Canada.com and 4 other PostMedia
News newspapers across Canada, March 9, 2012)
WEBSITE ARTICLE: Federal
Integrity Commissioner finally finds a government
employee guilty based on whistleblower report, but
fails to identify the wrongdoer (CTV.ca,
GlobalNews.ca, HuffingtonPost.ca and 21 other media
outlets across Canada, March 8, 2012)
NEWS RELEASE: Federal
whistleblower agency’s first report of wrongdoing is
a small step forward -- misconduct was exposed but
those responsible seem to have had a soft landing
(March 8, 2012)
TV PIECE: Elections
Canada must disclose its rulings on 2,284 past
complaints, and all it future rulings, to give
Canadians assurance they are enforcing the law
properly and effectively (CBC TV's The National
feature piece, March 7, 2012)
NEWS RELEASE: Elections
Canada must disclose its rulings on 2,284 complaints
since 2004, and all its future rulings, to prove
that it enforces the federal election law properly
and effectively -- Canada Elections Act must be
changed to make anonymous phone calls to voters
illegal and impossible (March 6, 2012)
OP-ED: Democracy
Watch, and others, tried to get Elections Canada to
fully investigate and properly rule on 2008 election
robocall fraud (Ottawa Citizen, March 5, 2012)
LETTER-TO-THE-EDITOR: Elections
Canada must disclose details about complaints and
its rulings on more than 2,280 complaints it
received since 2004 (Globe and Mail, February 29, 2012, Vancouver Sun and
Epoch Times
and Toronto Star,
March 3, 2012, and Hill
Times, March 5, 2012)
TV PIECE re: Elections
Canada must disclose details about its rulings on
all past complaints, and current robocall complaints
(Global News National, March 2, 2012)
WEBSITE ARTICLE: Elections
Canada must disclose details of how it has ruled on
2,284 complaints it has received since 2004 (Maclean's
magazine, March 2, 2012)
WEBSITE ARTICLE: Federal
Conservatives used U.S. companies with Republican
ties to connect with voters in Canada during 2011
federal election (Toronto Star, March 2, 2012)
EDITORIAL: Federal
elections law must be changed to make anonymous
phone calls during elections illegal (Winnipeg Free Press,
March 2, 2012)
EDITORIAL: Elections
Canada must come clean on its past record of
investigating and ruling on more than 2,280
complaints (Toronto
Star, March 1-2, 2012) -- To see related Toronto Star
article, click
here
TV INTERVIEW: Elections
Canada must come clean on more than 2,280 past
election complaints for which it has never issued
public rulings (CBC News Network, March 1, 2012)
WEBSITE ARTICLE: Elections
Canada has more than 2,280 other past investigations
to answer questions above, not just current robocall
fraud investigation (CBC.ca, March 1, 2012) --
To see related Yahoo.com article, click
here
WEBSITE ARTICLE: Robocall
election fraud tactic was tried first in 2008
federal election in B.C. riding, and Elections
Canada should re-open investigation (Georgia Straight,
March 1, 2012)
RADIO INTERVIEW: Democracy
Watch board member Duff Conacher on federal election
robocall fraud situation, and ongoing problems with
Elections Canada and other good government watchdog
agencies (CBC Radio's The Current show, March 1,
2012)
RADIO INTERVIEW: Democracy
Watch Coordinator Tyler Sommers on federal election
robocall fraud situation and ongoing problems with
Elections Canada (CBC Radio's As it Happens
show, February 29, 2012)
TV INTERVIEW: Democracy
Watch Coordinator Tyler Sommers on federal election
robocall fraud situation and ongoing problems with
Elections Canada (Sun News Network, February 29,
2012)
WEBSITE ARTICLE: Elections
Canada has more than 2,280 other past investigations
to answer questions about, not just current robocall
fraud investigation (Canada.com, GlobalNews.ca
and 7 Postmedia News newspapers across Canada,
February 28, 2012) -- To see related Global News video
and article, click
here -- To see related news release, click
here
OP-ED: Spending
scandal, and many other recent scandals, show clear
need for Real
Federal Accountability Act to clean up
Canadian government (Hill Times, February 20, 2012 and
Rabble.ca, February 21, 2012)
WEBSITE ARTICLE: Foreign
Affairs minister John Baird's refusal to comply
shows clear need to give federal Information
Commissioner more powers (Canada.com and 7
Postmedia News newspapers across Canada, February
20-21, 2012)
NEWS RELEASE: More
than 85 secret, unethical lobbying situations
possible since 2004 -- Commissioner of Lobbying must
disclose secret rulings, and find wrongdoing
lobbyists guilty of violating Lobbyists' Code
(February 13, 2012) -- To see related CTV.ca news
article, click
here
WEBSITE ARTICLE: Federal
fixed-election date measures too weak to restrict
Prime Minister from calling snap election
(iPolitics.ca, February 10, 2012)
NEWS RELEASE: House
Committee must recommend that federal Lobbying Act
and enforcement system be changed in 10 key ways to
finally end secret, unethical lobbying of the
federal government (February 9, 2012)
NEWS RELEASE: Survey
of public servants shows federal whistleblower
protection law must be strengthened -- 5-year review
must lead to key changes very soon (February 6,
2012)
WEBSITE ARTICLE: MPs
must
work together to make changes to restrict power of
party leaders (Canada.com and 11 Postmedia News
newspapers across Canada, January 31, 2012)
WEBSITE ARTICLE: If
MPs
were covered by Access
to Information Act, their unethical
spending on party activities would be revealed
(HuffingtonPost.ca, January 30, 2012)
NEWS RELEASE: Groups
urge Senate to question whistleblower watchdog Mario
Dion, and to end 5-year muzzling of civil society
(January 30, 2012) -- To see related iPolitics.ca
article, click
here
WEBSITE ARTICLE: Ontario
Liberals
being undemocratic and secretive in budgeting
process, unlike minority government should be
(CBC.ca and 18 other media outlets across Canada, all
publishing CanadianPress.com wire article, January 27,
2012 -- See article also on GlobalNews.ca)
NEWS RELEASE: Five
years after requirements became law, has Treasury
Board ensured that all federal government
institutions provide legally-required whistleblower
protection? (January 26, 2012)