Democracy Watch called on the House of Commons Ethics Committee to reverse the position it has taken in a March 20th letter sent to Commissioner of Lobbying Nancy Bélanger. “It’s shameful that the Liberal, Conservative and Bloc MPs on the Ethics Committee have decided, behind closed doors, to support changes that will gut key ethical lobbying … Read more
Democracy Watch released the letter it sent to the House of Commons Ethics Committee responding to the letter that Commissioner of Lobbying Nancy Bélanger sent for the committee’s ongoing secret meetings on commissioner’s proposed changes to the Lobbyists’ Code of Conduct that will gut key ethical lobbying rules in ways that will allow lobbyists to do significant … Read more
Democracy Watch released an open letter signed by 32 lawyers and law and political science professors from across Canada calling on the House of Commons Ethics Committee to reject some of Commissioner of Lobbying Nancy Bélanger’s proposed changes to the Lobbyists’ Code of Conduct because the changes will gut key ethical lobbying rules in ways that will … Read more
Democracy Watch released the reasons why federal Lobbying Commissioner Nancy Bélanger’s proposal to gut key ethical lobbying rules in the Lobbyists’ Code of Conduct will make election meddling and secret activities to influence federal MPs easier for China and other foreign governments. “If MPs on the ethics committee approve the lobbying commissioner’s proposal to gut key ethical lobbying rules, it … Read more
Democracy Watch release the letter it has sent to Commissioner of Canada Elections Caroline Simard requesting that she investigate and issue a public report on whether she will impose penalties on or prosecute anyone involved in China-sponsored interference in the 2019 or 2021 federal elections. “Enough evidence of China-government sponsored election interference in the 2019 and 2021 … Read more
Democracy Watch released a key facts sheet about federal Commissioner of Lobbying Nancy Bélanger’s proposed changes to the Lobbyists’ Code of Conduct to counter the false claims that big business and big union lobbyists have made before the House Ethics Committee. “Everyone should be concerned when high-powered lobbyists who represent wealthy interests mislead MPs, especially when they make false … Read more
On Feb. 14, Democracy Watch testified on behalf of more than 25 citizen groups with a total membership of 1.5 million Canadians at a hearing of the House Ethics Committee, and will call on the Committee to reject key changes to the federal Lobbyists’ Code of Conduct proposed by Commissioner of Lobbying Nancy Bélanger because the changes will gut … Read more
Democracy Watch was at the Federal Court in Ottawa for the hearing of the case it filed in August 2020 challenging federal Commissioner of Lobbying Nancy Bélanger’s rulings that let lobbyists Ben Bergen and Dana O’Born of the Council of Canadian Innovators (CCI) off the hook even though they lobbied Finance Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland’s (University-Rosedale, … Read more
Democracy Watch called on the House Standing Committee on Access to Information, Privacy and Ethics to hold emergency public hearings to review and reject key changes to the Lobbyists’ Code of Conduct proposed by Commissioner of Lobbying Nancy Bélanger because they gut ethical lobbying rules in ways that will allow for corrupt favour-trading between lobbyists and politicians. “Groups with … Read more
Democracy Watch is in Federal Court in Toronto, Ont., challenging the federal government’s too-political, unconstitutional system for appointing judges to the federal courts and all provincial superior courts and courts of appeal, and promoting judges within those courts. “The current federal judicial appointment system is open to too much political interference by the ruling party, which violates … Read more
