To counter that, 11 lawyers from four law firms and in private practice or other roles, and 21 law and political science professors from 14 universities in eight provinces penned an open letter calling on the Ethics Committee to reject the commissioner’s proposed changes.īélanger’s arguments don’t make sense, he stresses, noting the opposing positions by other experts. Secrecy is the order of the day as she tries to push ahead with “legalized bribery.”Ĭonacher notes Bélanger is relying on the opinion from one law firm – the details of which she’s kept secret – to argue the four-year prohibition on former politicians and others leaving politics to become lobbyists violates the Charter. Conacher’s not holding out much hope for the commissioner, who insists on pushing ahead for reasons unknown. The group is calling on Bélanger and/or the politicians themselves to reverse course. “The changes that the Ethics Committee wants are deeply unethical and will allow for corrupt favour-trading between lobbyists and politicians.” “It’s shocking that MPs on the Ethics Committee would call for loopholes to allow lobbyists to buy them off, essentially bribe them, with fundraising, favours, trips, gifts and wining and dining worth thousands of dollars each year,” says Democracy Watch co-founder Duff Conacher. They also want unfettered access to travel junkets for themselves, family and associates. Democracy Watch argues the move would essentially open the door to lobbyists providing unlimited assistance in campaigning – providing the likes of people to knock on doors, for instance – and bolster fundraising efforts.Īs a “bonus,” politicians are also pushing for the current $80-limit on gifts and offers of hospitality from any one source to be bumped up $200.
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