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Reports

In addition to the reports listed below, to see links to other democratic good government and corporate responsibility resources, click here.


2024 Reports


Report on loopholes in Bill C-70 that allow for ongoing secret foreign interference activities, and a weak enforcement system too-much under the control of the ruling party Cabinet (June 12, 2024)

Report on Ontario’s undemocratic big money political finance system, and how to stop the unethical influence of big money in Ontario politics (May 9, 2024)

Report on the 10 witnesses the Hogue Inquiry into Foreign Interference should call during its fact-finding Phase 1, and the 140 key questions to ask them (March 28, 2024)

Report and infographic webpage on Canada’s undemocratic big money political finance system, and how to stop the unethical influence of big money in Canadian politics (February 21, 2024)


2023 Reports


Submission to the House of Commons Procedure and House Affairs Committee re: changes needed to stop foreign interference in Canadian politics (May 9, 2023)

Submission to the House of Commons Access to Information, Privacy and Ethics Committee on key changes needed to make the federal Access to Information Act effective (April 25, 2023)

Letter from 41 lawyers and professors to House of Commons Ethics Committee opposing federal Commissioner of Lobbying’s proposed changes gutting key ethical lobbying rules (April 6, 2023)

Letter to House of Commons Ethics Committee about misleading claims made by the federal Commissioner of Lobbying, and false claims by big business and big union lobbyists, re: Commissioner’s proposed changes to ethical lobbying rules (March 21, 2023)

Letter from 32 lawyers and professors to House of Commons Ethics Committee opposing federal Commissioner of Lobbying’s proposed changes gutting key ethical lobbying rules (March 6, 2023)

Submission of Key Facts document to House of Commons Ethics Committee about false claims made by big business and big union lobbyists re: federal Commissioner of Lobbying’s proposed changes to key ethical lobbying rules (February 21, 2023)

Submission by 26 citizen groups to House of Commons Ethics Committee opposing federal Commissioner of Lobbying’s proposed changes gutting key ethical lobbying rules (February 14, 2023)


2022 Reports


Submission to the House of Commons Access to Information, Privacy and Ethics Committee on key changes needed to make the federal Access to Information Act effective (October 26, 2022)

Third Submission to the federal Commissioner of Lobbying’s consultation on changes to the Lobbyists’ Code of Conduct (June 23, 2022)

Report on how Ontario’s Progressive Conservative Party, and other Ontario parties, are supported mostly by wealthy donors (May 31, 2022)

Report Card on the Ontario Parties’ 2022 Democracy and Government Accountability Platforms (May 30, 2022)

Report Card on the Doug Ford PC Party Government’s Undemocratic, Secretive and Undemocratic Record (May 30, 2022)

Submission to the House of Commons Procedure and House Affairs Committee re: changes needed to make the federal MP ethics code effective (February 27, 2022)

Second Submission to the federal Commissioner of Lobbying’s consultation on changes to the Lobbyists’ Code of Conduct (February 18, 2022)


2021 Reports


Report Card on the Federal Parties’ 2021 Democratic Reform Platforms (September 18, 2021)

Report on the need for a comprehensive honesty-in-elections law, and fully independent enforcement system (May 2021)

Submission to Ontario legislature committee on Bill 254 changing provincial political finance system (Democracy Watch, March 30, 2021)

Submission to Ontario legislature committee on bill changing provincial judicial appointment system (Democracy Watch, March 11, 2021)

Submission to Finance Canada’s 2021 federal budget consultation entitled Better Banks for All, Paying Their Fair Share of Taxes (February 22, 2021)


2020 Reports


Report on Premier Doug Ford and Ontario PC Party lobbyists corrupting Ontario government policy-making, with Integrity Commissioner’s permission (December 17, 2020)

Submission to the federal Commissioner of Lobbying’s consultation on changes to the Lobbyists’ Code of Conduct (December 14, 2020)

Report on Ontario Integrity Commissioner’s negligently bad enforcement record (December 8, 2020)

Report on key democracy changes for Canada on International Democracy Day (September 15, 2020)

Report on key changes needed to stop conflicts of interest in federal government spending (August 10, 2020)


2019 Reports


Report Card on the Federal Parties’ 2019 Democratic Reform Platforms (October 18, 2019)

Report Card on the federal Liberals’ open government record

Reports on the complaints Democracy Watch has filed concerning enforcement of federal Canadian ethics, lobbying and election laws

Reports on more than 20 complaints Democracy Watch has filed concerning enforcement of Ontario’s ethics, lobbying and election laws

Reports on the complaints Democracy Watch has filed concerning enforcement of Alberta’s ethics, lobbying and election laws


2018 Reports


Reports on six lawsuits Democracy Watch has filed concerning enforcement of federal government ethics and lobbying laws

Submission to the CRTC calling for the creation of a Telecom Consumers Organization (October 23, 2018)

First submission and second submission and third submission to House Committee on Bill C-76 calling for key changes to ensure fair, democratic Canadian elections (October 2018)

Submission on federal Bill C-65 calling for changes to strengthen whistleblower protection for all workers (January 29, 2018)


2017 Reports


Report calling on Auditor General to audit the weak enforcement record of former federal Ethics Commissioner Mary Dawson (November 30, 2017)

Report calling on Auditor General to audit the weak enforcement record of former federal Lobbying Commissioner Karen Shepherd (November 24, 2017)

Submission to House Committee on Bill C-58 which changes the federal Access to Information Act and related measures (October 2017)

Submission to Finance Canada for review of federal financial institution legislation (March 2017)

Submission to House Committee for review of federal whistleblower protection system (March 2017)


2016 Reports


Submission to Special Committee on Electoral Reform (October 2016)

Submission to Ontario legislature committee on bill changing provincial political finance system (June 2016)

Submission to the Government of Canada’s consultation on its international Open Government Partnership (OGP) Action Plan (June 2016)


2015 Reports


2015 Report Card on Federal Democratic Good Government Election Platforms — Liberals and NDP tie with B, Greens get a B- and Conservatives get a D in Report Card on the Federal Parties’ 2015 Democratic Reform Platforms

2015 Report Card on Alberta Democratic Good Government Election Platforms — Green Party gets C as best grade of overall bad grades in Report Card on Alberta Parties’ Democratic Good Government Platforms – Wildrose gets a C-, NDP and Liberals a D, Alberta Party an F, and Conservatives an Incomplete


2014 Reports


2014 Report Card on Ontario Democratic Good Government Election Platforms — Liberals and NDP get an “E” as best grade of very bad grades in Report Card on Ontario Parties’ Democratic Good Government Platforms — Greens and PCs get an “Incomplete”

Submission on Bill C-23, the “Fair Elections Act” (April 2014)

2014 Report Card on the Conservative Government’s Federal Accountability Act — Federal Conservatives’ accountability and democratic reform record gets an F for breaking many promises and practising politics as usual


2013 Reports


Summary of the 100 Undemocratic and Accountability Loopholes in Canada’s Government

2013 Report Card on British Columbia Democratic Good Government Election Platforms — Green Party receives C- best grade of bad overall grades in Report Card on British Columbia Parties’ Democratic Good Government Platforms — Conservatives receive an D-, NDP an D- and Liberals an F

Muzzling Government Scientists: A Threat to Democracy — Report published in partnership with the University of Victoria’s Environmental Law Clinic highlighting the muzzling of federal government scientists

2013 Conflict of Interest Act review submission to House Access to Information, Privacy and Ethics Committee — House Committees must recommend that federal Conflict of Interest Act and MP and Senate ethics codes and enforcement be changed in 30 key ways to finally make corruption in federal politics illegal


2012 Reports


2012 Report Card on the Conservative Government’s Federal Accountability Act — Federal Conservatives’ accountability and democratic reform record gets an “F” for breaking many promises and practising politics as usual

2012 Report Card on the Quebec Democratic Good Government Election Platforms — Coalition Avenir Québec receives D+ best grade of bad overall grades in Report Card on Québec Parties’ Democratic Good Government Platforms — Parti Québecois receive a D, Québec solidaire an F and Liberals an Incomplete

2012 Submission to House Access to Information, Privacy and Ethics Committee on the Lobbying Act — House Committee recommends some key changes to strengthen federal Lobbying Act and enforcement system, but fails to address huge loopholes that allow secret, unethical lobbying of the federal government

Submission to federal Conservatives’ Open Government Partnership Plan consultation


2011 Reports


2011 Report Card on the Conservative Government’s Federal Accountability Act — Federal Conservatives’ Accountability and Democratic Reform Record Gets An “F” For Breaking Many Promises and Practising Politics As Usual

2011 Report Card on Ontario Democratic Good Government Election Platforms — Green Party receives D- best grade of bad overall grades in Report Card on Ontario Parties’ Good Government Platforms — Conservatives receive an E, NDP an F and Liberals an Incomplete

2011 Report Card on Federal Democratic Good Government Election Platforms — Green Party receives B- best grade of bad overall grades in Report Card on Federal Parties’ Good Government Platforms, Bloc second with C-, Conservatives, Liberals and NDP all receive F

2011 Ontario Election page


2010 Reports


2010 Global Integrity Report — Global Integrity Report lowers Canadian federal government’s score from 80 to 75 — Weak enforcement of Accountability Act’s loophole-filled rules the main reason for drop in democracy rating

Fourth Good Government Report Card on the Federal Accountability Act — Federal Conservatives’ Accountability and Democratic Reform Record Gets An “F” For Breaking Many Promises and Practising Politics As Usual



Reports from Previous Years on Archive Website

2008 Report Card on the Federal Political Parties’ Good Government Election Platforms (October 2008)

2008 Canadian Election page

2007 Ontario Election and Referendum page

2006 Report Card on the Federal Political Parties’ Good Government Election Platforms (January 2006)

2006 Canadian Election page

2005-2006 Gomery Commission Inquiry page