Lobbyist Quits For Job With Tories

"The Federal Accountability Act set out to tie a bell around the neck of lobbyists, and virtually nothing has happened," said NDP MP Pat Martin, who considers Harper's showpiece legislation to be "stalled and dead in the water." "It's business as usual," said Martin, "and the revolving door is still swinging freely between Conservative (political) staff and lobby houses, and then back again." The FAA was the first piece of legislation introduced by the minority Conservative government and the bill received royal assent last Dec. 12. Yet the regulations governing lobbyists remain under review and have not yet come into force. Treasury Board Minister Vic Toews declined an interview request. His spokesman, Mike Storeshaw, said the regulations are coming but could not provide a time frame. A promised five-year cooling-off period for ministers, their senior staff and senior bureaucrats is already in force under federal conflict-of-interest rules, noted Storeshaw. "That is a concrete change that we've made and that is one that applies to any individuals who decide to leave these jobs. The reality has changed." But according to one full-time government watchdog: "What they've put in place has more loopholes than rules." Duff Conacher, co-ordinator of Democracy Watch, says that even when the lobbying regulations are finally implemented, the legislation will fall far short of Harper's promise. ... http://www.thestar.com/article/275512

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