OTTAWA – Conservative leader and Leader of the Opposition, Stephen Harper said today his first piece of legislation as Prime Minister will be to introduce a new Federal Accountability Act designed to end the influence of big money in Ottawa and crack down on a lobbying culture that has thrived under Paul Martin.
The current government works with a culture of entitlement. No public official is entitled to use taxpayer’s money for their own purposes. “We propose to clean up government and give hard working Canadians a government they deserve,” said Harper. “Government exists to serve Canadians; government must serve the public interest, not personal interests.”
With many accountability measures to be introduced, the Act will change the way business is done in Ottawa by:
- Banning corporate and union donations, while limiting personal donations to $1,000;
- Overhauling lobbying laws and banning all ministers, ministerial staffers or senior public officials from lobbying government for five years after leaving their post;
- Give more power to the Lobbyists Registrar, Ethics Commissioner, Information Commissioner and the Auditor General, and;
- Give the Auditor General a mandate to conduct a complete review of the more than $30 billion in annual federal grants, contributions and contracts.
“Today I propose to Canadians a new vision, a plan to renew faith in government, to instil a culture of accountability in Ottawa. A Conservative government will hold those responsible for wrong-doing to account, we will root out remaining problems and impose new reforms. Cleaning up government is a job that begins at the top. As Prime Minister my commitment to you is that a Conservative government will erase the culture of entitlement, and make Ottawa more accountable to Canadians.”
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For more information please call: Carolyn Stewart Olsen (613) 297-9479
Click
here to read Stephen Harper’s Federal Accountability Act. (PDF)
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