[4Canada]

<strong>Written By:</strong> 4Canada
<strong>Date:</strong> 2007-03-05 10:45:40
<a href="/article/84540545-ottawa-mulls-weakening-lobbyists-rules">Article Link</a>

At the time, the Conservative Party vowed to stop the back-and-forth between the worlds of politics and lobbying, which it said was corrupting government. In particular, a number of lobbyists were working for the government as well as for the Liberal leadership campaign or with Liberal ministers.

The government passed the Accountability Act last year, saying it would clean up government. The Treasury Board Secretariat is now engaged in consultations with the lobbying industry to draft the regulations that will bring the legislation to life.

Under the act, lobbyists will have to provide a monthly report in which they disclose the public office holders they lobbied and on what topics.

However, the government has laid out five options that would define the type of communication needing to be reported, with only one of the five options including written communication.

In the four options that only include oral communications, three would call on lobbyists to report only their “arranged communication” with government officials. This would have the effect of excluding informal communications in settings such as cocktail gatherings or unplanned meetings on the street, where lobbying nonetheless can occur.

<a href="http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20070305.wxlobbying05/BNStory/Front/home">http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20070305.wxlobbying05/BNStory/Front/home</a>







[Proofreader's note: this article was edited for spelling and typos on March 7, 2007]

[Deacon]

From the link:

"A spokesman for the Treasury Board confirmed that the Accountability Act will not force federal officials to record their own contacts with lobbyists. “The onus is on the lobbyist to report,” said Robert Makichuk, chief of media relations at Treasury Board."

Nothing like passing the buck and putting foxes in charge of the hen house.

"The onus"?

Yeah, as if.

Next article: Harper takes offense at Santa wearing red garb, says gives children the wrong idea about communism.

Yeah, what I just said makes as much sense as making lobbyists accountable, and actually EXPECTING them to comply.

Both can described in a two word phrase:

Not happening.

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"and the knowledge they fear is a weapon to be used against them"

"The Weapon" - Rush

[rearguard]

What else can we expect but a lobbyist feeding frenzy after one of their own worms its way into power.