Federal Accountability Act

[Saturn]

The Federal Accountability Act is yet another ploy by the Conservatives to mislead the voter, which legislates accountability and transparency in appearance but not in substance. The FAA implements only 30 of the promised 52 measures to clean-up government, the implemented measures appear in much softer form than initially promised, and leaves at least 57 wide loopholes to provide ample opportunity for abuse according to Democracy Watch.

Here is the DW's compiled list of broken promises:

In a report filed with the complaint letter to the Ethics Commissioner, Democracy Watch revealed the details of all 22 broken promises. (Please see the complaint letter and Backgrounder below for all the details).

“Prime Minister Stephen Harper, his staff, and Treasury Board Minister John Baird have all been dishonest with Canadians in claiming that the Federal Accountability Act keeps all the election promises made by the Conservatives and strengthens ethics rules and will produce a clean federal government, and Democracy Watch believes they have violated federal ethics rules with their dishonesty,” said Duff Conacher, Coordinator of Democracy Watch. “The Conservatives baited voters with false election promises, and then switched direction when they won, violating the fundamental right of voters to have honesty in politics.”

In response to Democracy Watch’s complaint filed in May, the Ethics Commissioner Bernard Shapiro refused to examine the complaint and suggested that Democracy Watch participate in the parliamentary review of Bill C-2 and push for the missing measures to be added to Bill C-2 (To see the Ethics Commissioner's letter, click here). Democracy Watch did participate in the parliamentary review, and opposition parties attempted to add many of the missing measures to Bill C-2. The Conservatives rejected all of those attempts, and as a result made it very clear that they, with full intent, were breaking their election promises.

Democracy Watch re-filed its ethics complaint with the Ethics Commissioner on November 22, 2006.

On his first day as Prime Minister, Stephen Harper broke five election promises when he released his new Conflict of Interest and Post-Employment Code for Public Office Holders (the Code). The five promises were all contained in the “Stand Up for Accountability” (“Federal Accountability Act”) section of the Conservative Party’s election platform, and on February 6th when the new Cabinet was introduced Conservative transition team member Derek Burney and the government’s news release falsely claimed that five changes were made to the Code as part of the many measures the new Prime Minister had implemented immediately because they did not require legislation to be implemented.

A couple of weeks later, when questioned by media about Democracy Watch’s February 22nd news release that detailed how the five promised measures had not been included in the Code, PMO staff member Sandra Buckler claimed that the Code was a “transition document” and that all five of the promised measures would be included in the recently introduced Federal Accountability Act (FAA).

In fact, four of the five measures were not included in the FAA, and as a result four loopholes were left in the ethics rules for Cabinet ministers, their staff, some Cabinet appointees, and senior public servants.

In addition to these four broken promises, nine other promised measures were not included in the FAA, resulting in a total of 14 broken promises.

The 14 broken promises are as follows:

1. the promise to "Enshrine the Conflict of Interest Code into law" (In fact, the Federal Accountability Act (FAA) deletes five of the rules in the current Code);

2. the promise to "Make part-time or non-remunerated ministerial advisers subject to the Ethics Code" (In fact, the FAA increases the number of part-timers and unpaid advisers not covered by most of the requirements in the Code);

3. the promise to "Extend to five years the period during which former ministers, ministerial staffers, and senior public servants cannot lobby government" (In fact, unless Cabinet ministers put ministerial staff on a list, the staff person will be allowed, as they were already, to become a lobbyist one year after they leave their staff position);

4. the promise to "Close the loopholes that allow ministers to vote on matters connected with their business interests" (In fact, the FAA does not close these loopholes);

5. the promise to "Allow members of the public - not just politicians - to make complaints to the Ethics Commissioner" (In fact, the FAA only allows politicians to file complaints);

6. the promise to “Give the Ethics Commissioner the power to fine violators” (In fact, the FAA does not empower the Ethics Commissioner to fine violators of many ethics rules);

7. the promise to "Require ministers and senior government officials to record their contacts with lobbyists" (In fact, the FAA does not include this requirement);

8. the promise to "Create an independent Parliamentary Budget Office" (In fact, the FAA allows Cabinet to dismiss the Officer at any time for any reason, which means the Officer will not have a key safeguard needed to act independently);

9. the promise to publish "all government public opinion research . . . within six months of the completion of the project" (In fact, the FAA only requires some government institutions to publish some research);

10. the promise to "Ensure that all Canadians who report government wrongdoing are protected, not just public servants" (In fact, the FAA does not even protect all public servant whistleblowers);

11. the promise to "Require the prompt public disclosure of information revealed by whistleblowers . . ." (In fact, the FAA prohibits the disclosure of much of the information revealed by whistleblowers);

12. the promise to “Establish monetary rewards for whistleblowers who expose wrongdoing or save taxpayer dollars” (In fact, the FAA did contain a $2,000 maximum reward, but this measure was cut from the bill during the parliamentary review process with support from the Conservatives);

13. the promise to "Establish a Public Appointments Commission to set merit-based requirements for appointments to government boards, commissions and agencies, to ensure that competitions for posts are widely publicized and fairly conducted" (In fact, the FAA does not require Cabinet to create the Commission (it only allows Cabinet to do so) and since a parliamentary committee rejected the Prime Minister Harper’s nominee for Commission chair, the Prime Minister has derailed the Commission), and;

14. the promise to "Appoint a Procurement Auditor . . ." (In fact, the FAA does not require Cabinet to appoint the Auditor (it only allows Cabinet to do so) and it does not give the Auditor promised powers needed to ensure fair and transparent procurement practices).

“Canadians deserve better thananother dishonest Prime Minister, especially when Prime Minister Harper has broken promises that guaranteed a clean-up of the federal government and effective measures to ensure that public officials act honestly, ethically, openly and prevent waste," said Duff Conacher, Coordinator of Democracy Watch.

And here is the long list of 57 loopholes

Enjoy!

[Ricki Bobbi]

Still 30 more measures to clean-up Government than the Liberals ever implemented!

Have you been here before Saturn? You seem vaguely familiar....

[madmax]

The Federal Accountability Act is yet another ploy by the Conservatives to mislead the voter,

Here is the DW's compiled list of broken promises:

It is the best accountability act we have had to date. It is supported by all parties. It past the Senate. And yes, it's not perfect, and I too would have like to have seen the antilobby provisions expanded.

But it is a good start, and the Conservatives can tick it off as a promise made, promise kept.

[Ricki Bobbi]

It is the best accountability act we have had to date. It is supported by all parties. It past the Senate. And yes, it's not perfect, and I too would have like to have seen the antilobby provisions expanded.

But it is a good start, and the Conservatives can tick it off as a promise made, promise kept.

Good point. But for the likes of Saturn, and whatever his previous incarnation, there will never be anything good done by the Conservatives.

The marginal quality of these attacks prove two points. How good a job the Conservatives are really doing and how marginalized the Harper-haters are becoming.

[Saturn]

It is the best accountability act we have had to date. It is supported by all parties. It past the Senate. And yes, it's not perfect, and I too would have like to have seen the antilobby provisions expanded.

But it is a good start, and the Conservatives can tick it off as a promise made, promise kept.

Whether it is the best accountability act we have had to date is a question for debate - the FAA adds a lot of new rules but it also removes a lot of current rules. However, what's of interest here is that:

- the FAA is substantially weaker than the Conservatives advertise it to be,

- the Conservatives removed 22 of their promised accountability measures by choice,

- consequently the FAA falls very short of the Conservatives' own accountability standards (as advertised and promised in their election platform), and

- the FAA provides numerous loopholes and ample opportunity for abuse

[Ricki Bobbi]

- the FAA is substantially weaker than the Conservatives advertise it to be,

I haven't seen any advertising on the Accountability Act. Do share.

- the Conservatives removed 22 of their promised accountability measures by choice,

The only *choice* involved was the practical limitations of a minority Parliament and a Liberal majority in the Senate.

- consequently the FAA falls very short of the Conservatives' own accountability standards (as advertised and promised in their election platform), and

Again what advertising? Again, practical limitations.

the FAA provides numerous loopholes and ample opportunity for abuse

So the FAA in its current form is worse than what the Liberals would have enacted? Oh wait, the Liberals promised nothing in the last election campaign and did nothing on ethics over 12 CONSECUTIVE years in office.

[Saturn]

- the FAA is substantially weaker than the Conservatives advertise it to be,

I haven't seen any advertising on the Accountability Act. Do share.

- the Conservatives removed 22 of their promised accountability measures by choice,

The only *choice* involved was the practical limitations of a minority Parliament and a Liberal majority in the Senate.

- consequently the FAA falls very short of the Conservatives' own accountability standards (as advertised and promised in their election platform), and

Again what advertising? Again, practical limitations.

the FAA provides numerous loopholes and ample opportunity for abuse

So the FAA in its current form is worse than what the Liberals would have enacted? Oh wait, the Liberals promised nothing in the last election campaign and did nothing on ethics over 12 CONSECUTIVE years in office.

Nice try to find ridiculous excuses for mediocre policy and plenty of loopholes to be exploited by your favourite political party. Your standard for transparency and accountability clearly dropped to ground level the moment the Conservatives were elected as just as their own standards dropped the moment they made it into power.

[jbg]

The Federal Accountability Act is yet another ploy by the Conservatives to mislead the voter, which legislates accountability and transparency in appearance but not in substance. The FAA implements only 30 of the promised 52 measures to clean-up government, the implemented measures appear in much softer form than initially promised, and leaves at least 57 wide loopholes to provide ample opportunity for abuse according to Democracy Watch.

And the Liberals did what to encourage accountability and transparency? In a minority government, this may be the best that could be done.

[Ricki Bobbi]

Nice try to find ridiculous excuses for mediocre policy and plenty of loopholes to be exploited by your favourite political party. Your standard for transparency and accountability clearly dropped to ground level the moment the Conservatives were elected as just as their own standards dropped the moment they made it into power.

Medicore policy? The best we have seen in 13 years.

The Conservatives ethical standards far surpass anything the Liberals did.

Instead of pointing to all these *loopholes*, just give us an alternative. Anything presented by another political party will do.

[Saturn]

Medicore policy? The best we have seen in 13 years.

The Conservatives ethical standards far surpass anything the Liberals did.

Instead of pointing to all these *loopholes*, just give us an alternative. Anything presented by another political party will do.

The Conservatives provided good policy in their election platform but as soon as they got elected they promptly refused to implement most of it. Holding them up to their own standard set before they were elected, would be a very good alternative to what their own standard dropped to after they got elected.

[Catchme]

Medicore policy? The best we have seen in 13 years.

The Conservatives ethical standards far surpass anything the Liberals did.

Instead of pointing to all these *loopholes*, just give us an alternative. Anything presented by another political party will do.

The Conservatives provided good policy in their election platform but as soon as they got elected they promptly refused to implement most of it. Holding them up to their own standard set before they were elected, would be a very good alternative to what their own standard dropped to after they got elected.

Of course, we all knew what the Cons were saying would be much different than what they would do. And after touting Gomery so hard and fast, Harper hurriedly shot down many of Gomery's points on what needed cleaning up and how it should be done.

And no the CPC's ethical standards do not surpass anything the Liberals did, the 3.5 million in undeclared campaign financing that was beyond legal set limits shows that.

[Ricki Bobbi]

Of course, we all knew what the Cons were saying would be much different than what they would do. And after touting Gomery so hard and fast, Harper hurriedly shot down many of Gomery's points on what needed cleaning up and how it should be done.

And no the CPC's ethical standards do not surpass anything the Liberals did, the 3.5 million in undeclared campaign financing that was beyond legal set limits shows that.

Why did the Liberal dominated senate block key elements of the Accountability Act?

The issue with the Elections Act was dealt with in 8 months. Less than $1,500 was beyond legal limits.

Nice try though...