Toronto Star: Tories' cronyism rampant, critics say

[tuvor]

Two important provisions of the much vaunted accountability act haven't been implemented

OTTAWA–When the Conservatives were elected, they promised to do business differently. No more cronyism, no more backroom deals with party hacks. They were going to clean up Ottawa.

However, critics say Prime Minister Stephen Harper's government has appointed hundreds of people with Conservative ties – the kind of cronyism the Conservatives and their predecessors used to howl about.

When the federal government was patting itself on the back last month on the anniversary of the passage of the Federal Accountability Act, it failed to mention that two key components – the appointments commission and the lobbying provisions – have not been implemented.

"The lack of a public appointments commission seriously undermines any credibility that Mr. Harper is serious about cleaning up how business is done in Ottawa," said New Democrat MPP Charlie Angus (Timmins-James Bay).

Opposition parties insist Canadians were duped into giving the Conservatives a minority government in the January 2006 election. Government accountability was a big factor in the contest that banished the Liberals to official Opposition. ...

http://www.thestar.com/News/article/290164

[sorrywrongemail]

1. I don't like an appointments commission

but I do like the lobbying commission. The first time I heard that these provisions were still unenforced was at a place called Democracy Watch, BTW, a few months ago. It shocked me that the media hadn't told me that. I had been in the dark for years at that point.

I'm against an appointments commission because I think the powers of the US Senate to vet appointments (and treaties) is a very bad thing, although in their system of separation of powers it does make some sense; not in the Parliamentary fusion of powers though. I would have to read up on how it actually works, but that's my gut reaction.