MOVING FORWARD ON THE FEDERAL ACCOUNTABILITY ACT

October 03, 2006

After the sponsorship scandal, the Gomery inquiry, and a stinging electoral backlash against Liberal corruption, Canadians have a right to know why Liberal Senators are throwing up roadblocks in the passage of the Federal Accountability Act (FAA).

Canada’s New Government introduced the FAA as its first piece of legislation in April and sent the new law to the Senate in June. Conservative Senators were prepared to meet through the summer to pass the legislation but the Liberals refused to cooperate.

Now the Liberals are unnecessarily delaying the new accountability legislation without any clear reason.

Under the FAA, Canada’s New Government will complete the shift from the old Liberal culture of entitlement to a new era of accountability.

Concrete changes included in the new accountability laws include:

• A ban on donations from corporations and unions;
• A new limit of $1,000 per year on personal political donations;
• A five-year lobbying ban on former ministers, their aides and senior public servants; and
• An increase in the power of the Auditor General to follow the money.

Last January, an overwhelming majority of Canadians voted "no" to Liberal waste and mismanagement. Surely, Liberals want to turn the page on corruption by passing the new Federal Accountability Act. The Liberals should put the good of the country before the political interests of the Liberal Party and pass the FAA.