In response to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau‘s (Papineau, Que.) budget’s weak proposal to amend the rule in the Canada Elections Act (CEA) that was struck down in a recent court ruling to ensure it again prohibits some false claims during elections about candidates, party leaders and party associates, Democracy Watch called for a broader false claims rule, and also for … Read more
Democracy Watch announced that to on Wednesday, May 5, 2021, there will be a hearing on the Trudeau government’s motion that requests the Federal Court end the cases Democracy Watch filed last August challenging the federal Commissioner of Lobbying’s rulings about lobbyists Ben Bergen and Dana O’Born of the Council of Canadian Innovators (CCI). “The federal lobbying ethics code prohibits … Read more
Democracy Watch released the recent decision Commissioner of Canada Elections Yves Côté that let the anti-abortion group RightNow off for violating the federal election law by colluding with Conservative Party candidates (and maybe the Conservative Party) during the 2019 federal election. “The donation and anti-collusion rules are aimed at ensuring fair and democratic elections, and preventing lobby … Read more
Democracy Watch criticized Finance Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland‘s (University-Rosedale, Ont.) budget for failing to make Canada’s big banks to pay their fair share of taxes. Democracy Watch’s submission to Finance Canada’s pre-budget consultation process called for key bank accountability changes needed to make Canada’s banks to pay their fair share in taxes, to stop racism and discrimination in lending and … Read more
Democracy Watch called on Prime Minister Justin Trudeau (Papineau, Que.) and Finance Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland (University-Rosedale, Ont.) to work together with all federal parties in this minority government situation to make Canada’s big banks do more to help Canadians and small businesses, and pay their fair share of taxes, now and … Read more
Democracy Watch called on MPs on the House Heritage Committee to ask Facebook’s representatives about the investigation into Facebook’s alleged illegal lobbying of the federal government, including illegal favours done by Kevin Chan for several Cabinet ministers, and about the need for new rules to prohibit false claims about candidates and party leaders, and false … Read more
Democracy Watch released the letter it received recently from federal Ethics Commissioner Mario Dion in response to the letter Democracy Watch sent last month calling on Dion to issue a ruling, finally, on Democracy Watch’s complaint from July 2019. In his letter, Dion claims that examinations and inquiries he conducts are confidential. However, he doesn’t mention that when he concludes an … Read more
Democracy Watch called on the federal government, whether or not the Rogers-Shaw deal is approved, to create a broad-based, well-resourced, consumer-run Telecom Consumer Organization using an innovative, low-cost, effective method that has worked in the U.S. “Whether the Rogers-Shaw deal is approved, or competition increased, to really stop ongoing gouging and abuse by Canada’s big telecom companies … Read more
Democracy Watch is calling for new rules to be added to the Canada Elections Act to require honesty in politics. “New honesty in politics rules are needed before the next election because a court ruling has removed the rule in Canada’s election law that prohibited false claims about candidates, and the Commissioner of Canada Elections has refused to … Read more
Democracy Watch has launched a petition calling on Transport Minister Omar Alghabra (Mississauga Centre, Ont.) to reverse the decision to approve the plane to fly again in Canada. The petition also calls on Alghabra to launch a public inquiry into the government’s decisions concerning the plane, and to create an Airline Passengers Organization using an innovative method that has worked well in the … Read more
