Democracy Watch filed an ethics complaint with federal Commissioner of Lobbying Karen Shepherd about a situation reported by the Globe and Mail. According to the article, Barry Sherman, the chairman of generic drug manufacturer Apotex Inc., is assisting with selling tickets for a $500-per-ticket fundraising event to be held in Toronto featuring Finance Minister Bill Morneau (Toronto Centre, … Read more
Democracy Watch re-filed the letter it sent to federal Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner Mary Dawson on December 10, 2013 and called on her to rule, finally, on whether the intervention into the Senate Committee’s audit of Senator Mike Duffy by Nigel Wright, Patrick Rogers, Chris Woodcock and Benjamin Perrin violated the Conflict of Interest Act (the “Act”). Democracy Watch’s … Read more
Two months after the Liberals released the federal government’s third biennial Action Plan for submission to the international Open Government Partnership (OGP), the nation-wide Open Government Coalition, Government Ethics Coalition and Money in Politics Coalition coordinated by Democracy Watch called on the Liberals to release the “What We Heard” consultation report as promised in section III of their Action Plan. Duff … Read more
Democracy Watch called on the federal Liberals to improve their proposed new Supreme Court appointments system by requiring the Prime Minister and Minister of Justice to appoint one of the people the new advisory board recommends (as Ontario’s Attorney General is required to do for provincial court appointments). The Liberals could make this change immediately as … Read more
Democracy Watch revealed the details of the court challenge it has launched of the new, so-called “conflict of interest screen” set up by Ethics Commissioner Mary Dawson for federal Liberal Fisheries Minister Dominic LeBlanc, a screen that allows LeBlanc to hide whether and when he participates in or makes decisions that affect the interests of his friend J.D. … Read more
Democracy Watch revealed that the loopholes in the “conflict of interest screen” set up by Ethics Commissioner Mary Dawson for Government House Leader and Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard Dominic LeBlanc (Beauséjour, N.B.) allow LeBlanc to participate in and make decisions that affect the interests of his friend J.D. Irving, as well as J.D. Irving Ltd. … Read more
As the federal government develops its third Action Plan for submission to the international Open Government Partnership, the nation-wide Open Government Coalition, Government Ethics Coalition and Money in Politics Coalition (all coordinated by Democracy Watch), called on the OGP Steering Committee to pressure the federal Liberals to strengthen their Action Plan because it fails to … Read more
Democracy Watch filed an ethics complaint with federal Commissioner of Lobbying Karen Shepherd about the gifts of paid travel that various lobbying organizations have given to MPs (and a few senators) since spring 2009. “Federal ethics rules say it is illegal for lobbyists to do anything that puts an MP or government official in even … Read more
In response to Justice Charles Vaillancourt’s April 21 conclusions in the trial of Senator Mike Duffy, Democracy Watch again called on the RCMP and Crown prosecutors to prosecute Nigel Wright, and PMO and Conservative Party officials who aided him, for bribing Duffy. Democracy Watch also reaffirmed its plan to pursue a private prosecution if RCMP and Crown … Read more
Democracy Watch launched a petition on Change.org calling on Prime Minister Justin Trudeau (Papineau, Que.) and National Revenue Minister Diane Lebouthillier (Gaspésie-Îles-de-la-Madeleine, Que.) to call a public inquiry into the Canada Revenue Agency’s relationship with big accounting firms. The petition already has almost 15,000 signatures. “An independent, impartial public inquiry is needed to find out the … Read more
