Millions in donations could be in candidate accounts – not required to be disclosed until 90 days after election

Also before election day, special prosecutor must prosecute all proven violators, and Elections BC must release report on all likely illegally funnelled donations since 2013 (like Elections Quebec’s and Elections Alberta’s reports)

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Wednesday, April 19, 2017

OTTAWA – Today, Democracy Watch alerted B.C. voters that election candidates could be hiding millions of dollars of unethical, undemocratic big money donations, and urged them to ask every candidate to disclose their donors before election day, and not to vote for any candidate that refuses.

Under B.C.’s very flawed election law, candidates could have started taking donations right after the 2013 election, and are not required to disclose those donations and donors until 90 days after election day.

“Millions in donations may be hidden from voters, and voters have a right to know who bankrolled election candidates before election day because donors will influence what any politician does after the election,” said Duff Conacher, Co-founder of Democracy Watch. “Voters should ask every candidate to disclose their donors before election day, and so should the media, and no one should vote for any candidate who refuses to disclose their donors.”

Democracy Watch also called on David Butcher, the special prosecutor appointed to investigate the cases where lobbyists made illegal donations and were reimbursed by their clients, to prosecute before election day all who can be proven to have violated the donations law (all identified in the Globe and Mail’s March 10th article and any others for which clear evidence exists that they have violated the law).

While Elections B.C. has referred the cases to the RCMP for investigation, under B.C.’s provincial Elections Act section 252, the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) of Elections B.C. must approve all prosecutions of violations. Because so few such cases have been in the courts in the past, the policy of the CEO must be to request prosecution of all of the individuals involved and let the courts decide whether they violated the law.

Democracy Watch also called on Elections B.C. to issue a special public report before election day on all large individual donations that were likely funnelled from businesses or unions through their executives (or their family members), employees or lobbyists to parties and candidates since the 2013 election. This report can easily be done by comparing the donation database with the lobbyists registry database, and with the business registry database, and with the list of executives of B.C.’s unions.

Elections Quebec did a similar audit in 2011 and found $12.8 million in likely illegally funnelled donations from businesses through their executives and employees since 2006. When Elections Alberta did an audit in 2012 it found dozens of illegal donations.

“The special prosecutor must prosecute before election day everyone they can clearly prove made an illegal donation so voters know who violated the law before they vote,” said Duff Conacher, Co-founder of Democracy Watch. “Elections B.C. must also finally enforce the law effectively by auditing donation lists to find all likely illegally funneled donations since the 2013 election, and issuing a public report before election day so voters can know the full extent of the illegal donations scheme before they vote.”

Democracy Watch and the PIPE UP Network are currently challenging in court the B.C. Liberal Cabinet’s approval of the Kinder Morgan Trans Mountain pipeline because of the appearance of conflict of interest caused by more than $630,000 in donations to the B.C. Liberals from pipeline related companies in the past few years. There will be a court hearing in the case on May 3, 2017.

Democracy Watch is also challenging in court the B.C. Conflict of Interest Commissioner’s ruling that no conflicts of interest were caused by B.C. Premier Christy Clark’s high-priced, exclusive fundraising events.

Democracy Watch and the nation-wide Money in Politics Coalition also called on the B.C. political parties to make the same world-leading changes to the province’s political donation system (including at the municipal level) as Quebec made in 2013. Democracy Watch detailed in a March 13th news release how inadequate the B.C. Liberals proposed changes are, and what key changes are needed to stop cash for access and the unethical influence of big money donations in B.C. politics. More than 6,000 B.C. voters have called for these changes through Democracy Watch’s Change.org petition.

“The only way to stop the unethical and undemocratic influence of big money in B.C. politics is to stop big money donations and loans,” said Conacher.

– 30 –

FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT:
Duff Conacher, Co-founder of Democracy Watch
Tel: (613) 241-5179
Cell: 416-546-3443
[email protected]

Democracy Watch’s Government Ethics Campaign and Money in Politics Campaign

Groups request that court order B.C. Liberals to disclose internal documents detailing fundraising activities by pipeline-connected companies for Liberals over the past 5 years

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Wednesday, April 12, 2017

OTTAWA – Democracy Watch and PIPE UP Network announced that today, Wednesday, April 12, 2017 at 9:45 am, it will be in the B.C. Supreme Court motions court for a hearing on its motion requesting that the court order the B.C. Liberal Party to disclose all the fundraising activities Kinder Morgan and Trans Mountain pipeline-connected companies were involved in during the past five years with the Liberals, Premier Christy Clark, Environment Minister Mary Polak and Natural Gas Development Minister Rich Coleman. The motion was filed on March 16, 2017.

The motion will be considered by the court:

DATE: Wednesday, April 12, 2017
TIME: 9:45 am (when court opens, motion will be on the day’s schedule)
PLACE: B.C. Supreme Court, Motions Court, 800 Smithe St.
Vancouver, B.C.

The application is the next step in Democracy Watch and PIPE UP’s lawsuit that alleges Premier Clark and the Cabinet ministers were in an apparent conflict of interest when they approved the Kinder Morgan Trans Mountain pipeline in January because of the more than $550,000 donated by pipeline-connected companies to the B.C. Liberal Party in the past five years.

Democracy Watch and PIPE UP filed another motion on April 10, 2017 for an order requiring the B.C. government, Premier Christy Clark, Environment Minister Mary Polak and Natural Gas Development Minister Rich Coleman to respond to their lawsuit. Premier Clark and the ministers are refusing to respond because they claim they have been improperly named in the lawsuit.

“Premier Clark and the B.C. Liberals can run but they can’t hide from the law, and we hope the court will order them to disclose details they have been hiding about all the fundraising activities pipeline-connected companies have helped the Liberals with since 2012,” said Duff Conacher, Co-founder of Democracy Watch.

Democracy Watch called on the Special Prosecutor to prosecute everyone before election day that the evidence shows participated in an illegal donation scheme, and called on Elections B.C. to release an audit on likely illegal donations, also before election day.

Democracy Watch also called on B.C.’s provincial political parties to make clear, strong election promises to make the same world-leading changes to the province’s political donation system (including at the municipal level) as Quebec made in 2013. Click here to see Backgrounder on the key changes that need to be made.

– 30 –

FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT:
Duff Conacher, Co-founder of Democracy Watch
Tel: (613) 241-5179
Cell: 416-546-3443
[email protected]

Jason Gratl, Gratl and Company, Tel: 604-694-1919

Democracy Watch’s Government Ethics Campaign and Money in Politics Campaign

Groups apply to court for order requiring Premier Clark and government to respond to lawsuit

Groups also add to the lawsuit record $82,505 in donations made in 2016 by pipeline-connected companies to the B.C. Liberals

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Monday, April 10, 2017

OTTAWA – Today, Democracy Watch and the PIPE UP Network applied to the B.C. Supreme Court for an order requiring the B.C. government, Premier Christy Clark, Environment Minister Mary Polak and Natural Gas Development Minister Rich Coleman to respond to their lawsuit challenging the ethics of the approval of the Kinder Morgan Trans Mountain pipeline (in addition to the application, affidavit 1 and affidavit 2 were filed).

Premier Clark and the ministers are refusing to respond because they claim they have been improperly named in the lawsuit.

The application is the next step in Democracy Watch and PIPE UP’s lawsuit that alleges Premier Clark and the ministers were in an apparent conflict of interest when they approved the Kinder Morgan Trans Mountain pipeline in January because of the more than $550,000 donated by pipeline-connected companies to the B.C. Liberal Party in the past five years.

In their court filing today, Democracy Watch and PIPE UP also listed an additional $82,505 in donations made in 2016 by pipeline-connected companies to the B.C. Liberals, bringing the total donations to more than $630,000.

Premier Clark’s conflict of interest was compounded by the fact that she benefited personally from the donations as she received a $50,000 salary each year from the party – a total salary of $300,000 – during the same years the donations were made.

On March 16, 2017, Democracy Watch and PIPE UP applied to the B.C. Supreme Court for an order requiring the B.C. Liberal Party to disclose all the fundraising activities Kinder Morgan and pipeline-connected companies were involved in during the past five years with the Party, activities that create an apparent conflict of interest that would prohibit Premier Clark and the ministers from deciding the pipeline approval.

“Premier Clark and the B.C. Liberal government can run but they can’t hide from the law, and we hope the courts will require the government to respond to the allegations in our lawsuit,” said Duff Conacher, Co-founder of Democracy Watch. “We also hope the courts will order the Liberals to disclose details they have been hiding about all the fundraising activities pipeline-connected companies have helped the Liberals with since 2012.”

– 30 –

FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT:

Duff Conacher, Democracy Watch, Cell: 416-546-3443

Jason Gratl, legal counsel, Tel: 604-317-1919

Lynn Perrin, PIPE UP Network, Tel: 604-309-9369

Democracy Watch’s Government Ethics Campaign and Money in Politics Campaign

More than 7,000 have signed petition in just 24 hours calling on government to require big businesses to fulfill 7 conditions if they want government support

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Thursday, April 6, 2017

OTTAWA – Today, as part of its ongoing Corporate Responsibility Campaign, Democracy Watch formally launched its Change.org petition that more than 7,000 Canadians have signed in just 24 hours. The petition calls on the federal Liberals to add corporate responsibility conditions to its loan to Bombardier, and to work with other parties to change the law so that the government is only allowed to give tax breaks, subsidies, grants, loans or other support to big businesses in return for legally enforceable responsibility and accountability guarantees.

The 7 corporate responsibility conditions that the petition calls on the government to impose on Bombardier, and all businesses that receive government support in the future, are:

1. create jobs in Canada and reduce outsourcing to other countries;
2. pay fair wages to all employees and contractors;
3. pay executives no more than a fair, justifiable salary (no more than 30 times the average worker salary);
4. reduce pollution, abuse of employees and customers and all other wrongdoing;
5. establish internal best-practice systems for protecting whistleblowers who want to report wrongdoing;
6. empower customers, workers, stakeholders and shareholders in board decision-making processes (including by facilitating the creation of citizen-run watchdog groups by sending notices to their customers and individual shareholders – click here for details), and;
7. increase transparency so all their irresponsible and illegal actions are disclosed to the public in an online, searchable database.

“Governments should only offer tax breaks, subsidies and other public support to a big business in return for key guarantees that make the business more responsible and accountable to the public,” said Duff Conacher, Co-founder of Democracy Watch. “The Bombardier executive pay-hike scandal, banking service scandal, US Steel fiasco and ongoing irresponsible actions by oil and gas companies and many other businesses could all have been prevented if governments had required the businesses to make key responsibility and accountability changes in return for the billions of public money and support governments gave them.”

“The seven conditions Democracy Watch wants imposed on government-supported businesses do not interfere with the decisions that the businesses make other than ensuring they are responsible, equitable and more accountable, which is a fair trade-off for receiving public support,” said Conacher. “As several studies have shown, most big businesses in Canada are run by directors the CEO effectively chose, who don’t reflect the businesses’ stakeholders or demographics of the country, and who often make decisions aimed only at boosting short-term profits at the expense of workers, customers and communities, so governments should use the leverage they have when offering support to these businesses to require them to be more responsible and accountable.”

– 30 –

FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT:
Duff Conacher, Co-founder of Democracy Watch
Tel: (613) 241-5179
Cell: 416-546-3443
[email protected]

Democracy Watch’s Corporate Responsibility Campaign

Committee reviewing federal whistleblower protection law right now – strong recommendations needed to push Trudeau Liberals to make key changes

Governments across Canada need to make same changes to ensure government and business whistleblowers are fully protected, as banking scandal shows

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Tuesday, April 4, 2017

OTTAWA – Today, Democracy Watch testified again before the House of Commons Government Operations Committee as it reviews the federal public sector whistleblower protection law (Democracy Watch also testified on March 21st). Democracy Watch submission included the Change.org petition that 21,000 voters have signed in the past few weeks calling for 17 key changes by the federal governmentto protect people who blow the whistle on government and big business abuse, waste and law-breaking. As the current banking service scandal shows, such protection is much needed.

The 17 key changes include: ensuring everyone is covered by the protection law and system, including political staff; allowing everyone to file their complaint directly and anonymously with the protection commissioner or agency; ensuring the protection commissioner is fully independently appointed and empowered to impose penalties (as Ontario appoints and empowers judges); requiring the protection commissioner/agency to conduct audits and rule on all complaints publicly in a timely manner (with the identity of all wrongdoers made public); compensating whistleblowers for legal advice, and rewarding them adequately if their claims are proven; allowing them to appeal to court if they disagree with the protection commissioner’s ruling, and, ensuring an independent audit of the protection system at least every three years.

“The federal Liberals claimed in their 2015 election platform that greater openness and transparency are fundamental to restoring trust in Canada’s democracy but if they don’t strengthen whistleblower protection they will break their open government promise,” said Duff Conacher, Co-founder of Democracy Watch. “As the current banking service scandal shows, the federal government also needs to pass a law protecting all federally regulated workers, and provincial governments need to make changes to protect everyone in their province who blows the whistle on wrongdoing in politics and business.”

People have tried to protect Canadians by blowing the whistle on governments wasting billions of dollars, approving dangerous drugs, and covering up scandals, and on big businesses gouging them, selling them hazardous products, and covering up pollution and oil spills.

These whistleblowers have been harassed, fired from their jobs, sued, silenced and hurt by governments and big businesses – all because Canadian whistleblower protection laws are weak and enforcement is negligently bad.

The federal Liberals failed to include any promises to strengthen whistleblower protection in their 2015 election platform. The federal Conservatives did little to strengthen whistleblower protection from 2006 to 2015, and actually covered up scandals involving the Public Sector Integrity Commissioner (who enforces the federal law). Other federal parties have done little to push for key changes.

Provincial governments across Canada have also failed to protect government and business whistleblowers fully and effectively, although the Ontario Securities Commission took a big step forward in protecting securities law whistleblowers with a new program launched in July 2016 which offers up to $5 million as a reward for whistleblowers whose claims are proven (which has led to calls to reward securities law whistleblowers in other provinces and to reward Competition Act whistleblowers).

Democracy Watch will continue its ProtectWhistleblowers.ca letter-writing campaign and petition until these changes are made across Canada.

– 30 –

FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT:
Duff Conacher, Co-founder of Democracy Watch
Tel: (613) 241-5179
Cell: 416-546-3443
[email protected]

Democracy Watch’s Protect Whistleblowers Who Protect You Campaign

“It’s a small price to pay right now for the long term benefits that we’ll receive” said event organizer on day of event

People who assist parties, candidates or politicians with fundraising or campaigning are prohibited from lobbying them or their staff for 5 years, and so should their companies – Clearwater is now registered to lobby Prime Minister Trudeau’s office

Lobbying Commissioner should recuse herself from ruling on complaint because she received 6-month contract from Liberal Cabinet in December

Federal political parties should change political finance system to stop big money’s unethical influence by matching Quebec’s $100 annual donation limit and other world-leading measures

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Wednesday, March 29, 2017

OTTAWA – Today, Democracy Watch released the letter it received from the federal Commissioner of Lobbying Karen Shepherd confirming her office is investigating the complaint Democracy Watch filed on March 1, 2017. The complaint raised questions about an August 25, 2014 fundraising event for the Liberal Party of Canada hosted by Clearwater Seafoods co-founder and board member (and, according to media reports, possible major shareholder) Mickey MacDonald at his home and attended by Justin Trudeau.

According to an article in the Globe and Mail, a ticket for the event cost $1,000 and 75 to 80 people attended (the Chronicle Herald reported the ticket price as $1,200). In a piece on CTV Halifax news on the day of the event Mr. MacDonald is quoted as saying about the event that “It’s a small price to pay right now for the long term benefits that we’ll receive.”

Democracy Watch called on Lobbying Commissioner Karen Shepherd to recuse herself from ruling on issues concerning the Liberal Cabinet because the Cabinet gave her the gift of six-month contract in mid-December worth about $90,000.

According to an article in the Halifax Chronicle Herald, Mickey MacDonald was a major shareholder of Clearwater as of April 2013. According to that article and a February 2011 Globe and Mail article containing several statements from Mr. MacDonald, he was a co-founder of Clearwater along with his brother Colin (who is currently chairman of Clearwater) and John Risley who is also a board member. According to Clearwater’s website, Mr. MacDonald is a member of the company’s board of directors.

At the time of the event, Clearwater was not registered to lobby the federal government. In May 2015, according to the Registry of Lobbyists (which, due to loopholes in the Lobbying Act, does not include all lobbying activities), Clearwater hired consultant lobbyists Phil von Finckenstein and Gordon Quaiatinni of Maple Leaf Strategies to lobby several federal government institutions including the Prime Minister’s Office, and their registrations continue until today. In May 2016, another Maple Leaf Strategies consultant lobbyists registered to lobby the Prime Minister’s Office on behalf of Clearwater, Kellie Major.

“Federal lobbying ethics rules and the Lobbying Commissioner say it is illegal for anyone to help a party, candidate or politician with fundraising or campaigning and then be involved in lobbying them any time within the next five years because of the apparent conflict of interest their help creates for the politician,” said Duff Conacher, Co-founder of Democracy Watch. “The question for the Lobbying Commissioner to consider is whether Mr. MacDonald’s fundraising event attended by Justin Trudeau in August 2014 that raised tens of thousands of dollars for the federal Liberal Party created an apparent conflict of interest that means Clearwater Seafoods is prohibited from lobbying the Prime Minister’s Office until 2019.”

“Democracy Watch’s position is a person directly associated with a company or other organization who helps raise money for a politician who then becomes Prime Minister creates an apparent conflict of interest that violates the ethics rules and means the company can’t lobby the federal government at all, given that the Prime Minister appoints all Cabinet ministers and takes part in all Cabinet decisions,” said Conacher.

“If the Lobbying Commissioner decides that someone directly associated with company who is not registered as a lobbyist can raise money for a political party or politician without violating lobbyist ethics rules, it will create a huge that many companies will likely exploit,” said Conacher.

The Lobbying Commissioner office confirmed in a letter dated October 25, 2016 that it is investigating Democracy Watch’s complaint about the situation revealed in an October 25th Globe and Mail article involving Barry Sherman, the chairman of generic drug manufacturer Apotex Inc., assisting with selling tickets for a $500-per-ticket fundraising event to be held in Toronto on November 7, 2016 featuring Finance Minister Bill Morneau while Apotex is registered to lobby, and is lobbying, Finance Canada.

The Lobbying Commissioner office also confirmed in a letter dated November 18, 2016 that it is investigating Democracy Watch’s complaint about about an August 26, 2015 fundraising event for the Liberal Party of Canada hosted by Apotex Inc. chairman Barry Sherman at his home and attended by Justin Trudeau and then-candidate, now-Liberal MP Michael Levitt.

Because of loopholes in the federal Lobbying Act, and weak enforcement, there are likely many people lobbying who are not registered and who are therefore not covered by the Lobbyists’ Code rules. Even people caught violating the Code face no penalty. A May 2012 House Committee report recommended closing some of the loopholes and giving the Lobbying Commissioner the power to impose penalties on violators.

“Federal parties need to work together to close the loopholes in the lobbying law that allow for secret, unethical lobbying, and to strengthen enforcement and ensure that every lobbyist who violates the rules is penalized with a high fine,” said Conacher.

Democracy Watch also called on federal political parties to stop the unethical influence of big money in federal politics by making the same world-leading changes to the federal political donation system as Quebec made in 2013 when it lowered its individual donation limit to $100 annually to each party, with an additional $100 allowed to be donated to an independent candidate, and required donations to be verified by Elections Quebec before being transferred to parties and candidates.

Democracy Watch detailed in a January 27th news release how much the federal Liberal’s proposal to make some cash-for-access events more transparent is a charade that won’t stop cash for access or the unethical influence of big money donations, and what changes are actually needed to stop these undemocratic activities.

“The only way to stop the unethical and undemocratic influence of big money in federal politics is to stop big money donations,” said Conacher. “Any political party that refuses to support key changes to the federal political finance system changes is essentially admitting they are up for sale and that they approve of the unethical and undemocratic best-government-money-can-buy approach to politics.”

– 30 –

FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT:
Duff Conacher, Co-founder of Democracy Watch
Tel: (613) 241-5179
Cell: 416-546-3443
[email protected]

Democracy Watch’s Government Ethics Campaign and Money in Politics Campaign

Ethics Commissioner just disclosed new travel list showing 32 Liberal, Conservative and NDP MPs took trips paid for by registered lobbyists in 2016

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Tuesday, March 28, 2017

OTTAWA – Today, Democracy Watch called on federal Commissioner of Lobbying Karen Shepherd to rule on the complaint it filed last May about the gifts of paid travel that various lobbying organizations have given to MPs (and a few senators) since spring 2009. Democracy Watch believes the gifts violate a rule in the Lobbyists’ Code of Conduct that prohibits lobbyists from doing anything that would put an MP, senator or other public office holder in even the appearance of a conflict of interest.

Federal Ethics Commissioner Mary Dawson just released the 2016 sponsored travel list, and it shows that 32 Liberal, Conservative and NDP MPs took trips paid for by registered lobbyists. Another 11 Liberal, Conservative and NDP MPs took a trip sponsored by the Chinese International Economic Cooperation Association. In its complaint last year, Democracy Watch requested that the Commissioner of Lobbying investigate the Association and a few other groups that gave so many MPs trips each year it seems like they possibly should be registered as lobbyists.

Democracy Watch’s complaint listed 16 businesses and lobby organizations from various sectors that are registered in the federal Registry of Lobbyists and that, since 2009 according to the Sponsored Travel reports and registry of federal Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner Mary Dawson, have paid for trips by MPs (and in one case, also by senators). Sometimes the MP’s spouse or staff has accompanied the MP or senator on the trip, and often the trips have cost thousands of dollars.

As well, the complaint listed six other lobby organizations that are not registered in the Registry of Lobbyists but have given many paid trips to many MPs (and, in one case, also to senators) from 2009 to 2016. The complaint requested an investigation to determine whether any of these organizations have done enough lobbying to require that they should have registered their lobbying under the Lobbying Act at any time in the past seven years.

“Federal ethics rules say it is illegal for lobbyists to do anything that puts an MP or government official in even an appearance of a conflict of interest, and paying for an MP’s trip that costs thousands of dollars definitely crosses that line,” said Duff Conacher, Co-founder of Democracy Watch. “Unfortunately the Commissioner of Lobbying has continued her very weak enforcement record by failing to rule on Democracy Watch’s complaint about these unethical trips.”

Democracy Watch is also concerned about Commissioner Shepherd’s very weak enforcement record, and its position is that in order to have proper enforcement of the Lobbying Act and the Lobbyists’ Code Commissioner Shepherd must be replaced by someone who has a demonstrated strong enforcement attitude and record. Ethics Commissioner Dawson also has a very weak enforcement record (including ruling in 2010 that it is fine for Cabinet ministers to have lobbyists who are lobbying them raise thousands of dollars for them).

The Trudeau Cabinet and MPs soon appoint a new Ethics Commissioner and Commissioner of Lobbying, and Democracy Watch filed a complaint about the Cabinet reappointing the two commissioners in December. Democracy Watch is calling for a new appointment system that matches Ontario’s best-practice system for provincial judicial appointments, in which an independent committee conducts a merit-based search for a short-list of candidates, with Cabinet required to choose from the committee’s list.

“Cabinet ministers are in a conflict of interest when choosing their own watchdogs, and the only way the Trudeau Liberals can keep their promise of merit-based Cabinet appointments is to change the federal appointment system to Ontario’s independent and effective judicial appointment system,” said Conacher.

Democracy Watch also called on MPs and senators to act with integrity, finally, and eliminate the rules in their ethics codes that say they are allowed to accept the gift of paid travel from anyone. Democracy Watch and the nation-wide, 31-member group Government Ethics Coalition will continue pushing for these and other key changes to federal ethics rules, and enforcement and penalties, so that Canadians will finally have the ethical government they deserve.

– 30 –

FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT:
Duff Conacher, Co-founder of Democracy Watch
Tel: (613) 241-5179
Cell: 416-546-3443
[email protected]

Democracy Watch’s Government Ethics Campaign and Stop Bad Government Appointments Campaign

Committee reviewing federal whistleblower protection law right now – strong recommendations needed to push Trudeau Liberals to make key changes

Governments across Canada need to make same changes to ensure government and business whistleblowers are fully protected, as banking scandal shows

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Tuesday, March 21, 2017

OTTAWA – Today, Democracy Watch testified before the House of Commons Government Operations Committee as it reviews the federal public sector whistleblower protection law. Democracy Watch submission included the Change.org petition that 21,000 voters have signed in the past few weeks calling for 17 key changes by the federal governmentto protect people who blow the whistle on government and big business abuse, waste and law-breaking. As the current banking service scandal shows, such protection is much needed.

The 17 key changes include: ensuring everyone is covered by the protection law and system, including political staff; allowing everyone to file their complaint directly and anonymously with the protection commissioner or agency; ensuring the protection commissioner is fully independently appointed and empowered to impose penalties (as Ontario appoints and empowers judges); requiring the protection commissioner/agency to conduct audits and rule on all complaints publicly in a timely manner (with the identity of all wrongdoers made public); compensating whistleblowers for legal advice, and rewarding them adequately if their claims are proven; allowing them to appeal to court if they disagree with the protection commissioner’s ruling, and, ensuring an independent audit of the protection system at least every three years.

“The federal Liberals claimed in their 2015 election platform that greater openness and transparency are fundamental to restoring trust in Canada’s democracy but if they don’t strengthen whistleblower protection they will break their open government promise,” said Duff Conacher, Co-founder of Democracy Watch. “As the current banking service scandal shows, the federal government also needs to pass a law protecting all federally regulated workers, and provincial governments need to make changes to protect everyone in their province who blows the whistle on wrongdoing in politics and business.”

People have tried to protect Canadians by blowing the whistle on governments wasting billions of dollars, approving dangerous drugs, and covering up scandals, and on big businesses gouging them, selling them hazardous products, and covering up pollution and oil spills.

These whistleblowers have been harassed, fired from their jobs, sued, silenced and hurt by governments and big businesses – all because Canadian whistleblower protection laws are weak and enforcement is negligently bad.

The federal Liberals failed to include any promises to strengthen whistleblower protection in their 2015 election platform. The federal Conservatives did little to strengthen whistleblower protection from 2006 to 2015, and actually covered up scandals involving the Public Sector Integrity Commissioner (who enforces the federal law). Other federal parties have done little to push for key changes.

Provincial governments across Canada have also failed to protect government and business whistleblowers fully and effectively, although the Ontario Securities Commission took a big step forward in protecting securities law whistleblowers with a new program launched in July 2016 which offers up to $5 million as a reward for whistleblowers whose claims are proven (which has led to calls to reward securities law whistleblowers in other provinces and to reward Competition Act whistleblowers).

Democracy Watch will continue its ProtectWhistleblowers.ca letter-writing campaign and petition until these changes are made across Canada.

– 30 –

FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT:
Duff Conacher, Co-founder of Democracy Watch
Tel: (613) 241-5179
Cell: 416-546-3443
[email protected]

Democracy Watch’s Protect Whistleblowers Who Protect You Campaign

Documents needed to determine extent of conflict of interest for Premier Clark, and Minister Polak, and Minister Coleman – exactly how much were Kinder Morgan and pipeline-connected companies’ involved in fundraising event activities for the Liberals, in addition to the more than $550,000 they donated in the past five years?

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Thursday, March 16, 2017

OTTAWA – Today, Democracy Watch and the PIPE UP Network applied to the B.C. Supreme Court for an order requiring the B.C. Liberal Party to disclose all the fundraising activities Kinder Morgan and pipeline-connected companies were involved in during the past five years with the Party, activities that create an appearance of a conflict of interest that would prohibit Premier Christy Clark, Environment Minister Mary Polak and Natural Gas Development Minister Rich Coleman from deciding the pipeline approval.

The application is the next step in Democracy Watch and PIPE UP’s lawsuit that alleges Premier Clark and the ministers were in an apparent conflict of interest when they approved the Kinder Morgan Trans Mountain pipeline in January because of the more than $550,000 donated by pipeline-connected companies to the B.C. Liberals in the past five years. Premier Clark’s conflict was compounded by the fact that she benefited personally from the donations as she received a $50,000 salary each year from the party, a total salary of $300,000, during the same years the donations were made.

“The B.C. Liberals have hidden as many details as they can about their fundraising events and activities over the past few years, which should make B.C. voters wonder what they are hiding,” said Duff Conacher, Co-founder of Democracy Watch. “We hope the Liberals will do the right thing and finally disclose details about all fundraising activities pipeline-connected companies have been involved in for the Liberals since 2012.”

“Documents dealing with pipeline company donations to the B.C. Liberal Party, and whether the Premier knew of the donations and attended pay-for-access events with Kinder Morgan, are both relevant and necessary to the determination of bias,” said Jason Gratl, legal counsel for the lawsuit. “It remains to be seen whether the Liberal Party will resist transparency about the Premier’s knowledge of payments to the party and her personal efforts to secure donations from Kinder Morgan and pipeline shippers.”

– 30 –

FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT:

Duff Conacher, Democracy Watch, Cell: 416-546-3443

Lynn Perrin, PIPE UP Network, Tel: 604-309-9369

Jason Gratl, legal counsel, Tel: 604-317-1919

Democracy Watch’s Government Ethics Campaign and Money in Politics Campaign