NEWS RELEASE: Democracy Watch Appeals Federal Court Ruling That Legalized Conservative Prime Minister Harper's September 2008 Snap Federal Election Call Despite Fixed-Election-Date Law -- Group Calls on PM Harper To Promise Not To Call Another Snap Election (March 10, 2010)

WEBSITE ARTICLE: Supreme Court of Canada, not one former Supreme justice, should rule on disclosure of documents about Afghan detainees (CBC.ca (Inside Politics blog), March 5, 2010) -- To see related National Post blog posting, click here

WEBSITE ARTICLE: Supreme Court of Canada, not former justice, should rule on disclosure of documents about Afghan detainees (CanadianPress.com wire article also published by 23 other media outlets across Canada, March 5, 2010)

NEWS RELEASE: Canadian Federal Government Far From Owning the Podium on Democracy and Government Accountability -- Drops to 11th in Global Integrity's New Annual Report -- Another Accountability Act Needed (March 1, 2010)

YouTUBE VIDEO: Duff Conacher on how to resolve the dispute over the disclosure of all documents about Afghan detainees (StraightGoods.ca, March 1, 2010) -- To see related website article, click here

YouTUBE VIDEO: Duff Conacher on the ethics of lobbying federal Canadian politicians (StraightGoods.ca, February 24, 2010)

LETTER-TO-THE-EDITOR: Federal Conservatives broke their promise to make nomination races democratic, but opposition parties and MPs also to blame for control by party leaders of MPs (Hill Times, February 22, 2010 and National Post, February 17, 2010)

WEBSITE ARTICLE: Federal Conservative Minister of Democratic Reform refuses to make his briefing book public (Winnipeg Free Press, Canada.com and 11 CanWest News Service newspapers across Canada, February 13, 2010)

NEWS RELEASE: Democracy Watch Calls on Federal Conservatives and Opposition MPs to Refer Afghan Detainee Document and Committee Testimony Disclosure Issues to Supreme Court of Canada for Ruling (February 10, 2010) -- To see related article in Le Devoir (in French), click here

RADIO PIECE: Examination of the federal Conservatives' democratic reform and accountability record featuring Democracy Watch Coordinator Duff Conacher (CBC Radio's The Current, February 4, 2010 -- or click here and then click on link to Part 3 of the show) -- To see Democracy Watch's Report Card on the Conservatives' record, click here

WEBSITE ARTICLE: Ontario judges hold unjustifiably secret training session on trial management issues (Toronto Star, February 4, 2010)

WEBSITE ARTICLE: As Democracy Watch has detailed in many reports over the past 16 years, no ruling party, nor Parliament overall, has done enough to reduce the federal government's democratic deficit (Lawrence Martin's column, Globe and Mail, January 28, 2010) -- To see some of Democracy Watch's recent reports, click here

LETTER-TO-THE-EDITOR: Federal Court judge dodges issue of legality of federal Conservatives' 2006 election ad spending scheme -- Elections Canada must appeal or prosecute to get ruling that clarifies the issue (Macleans.ca, January 20, 2010, Winnipeg Free Press, January 23, 2010, and Hill Times, January 25, 2010)

YouTUBE VIDEO: Democracy Watch Coordinator Duff Conacher's speech at the anti-prorogation of Parliament rally in Toronto (January 23, 2010 -- NOTE: the speech starts at the 2:45 minute mark of the video, and ends at the 6 minute mark of the video)

OP-ED: Prorogation of Parliament and snap elections avoid government accountability in many unreported ways and must be prohibited unless specific conditions are met -- other changes needed to ensure ongoing accountability (Waterloo Region Record, Guelph Mercury and Sudbury Star, January 13, 2010, Toronto Star and Hill Times, January 18, 2010)

JOIN Canadians Against Proroguing Parliament Facebook group, and attend rallies across Canada this Saturday, January 23rd (NOTE: Duff Conacher, Coordinator of Democracy Watch, will be speaking at the rally in Toronto)

WEBSITE ARTICLE: Once again, federal Ethics Commissioner Mary Dawson protects Cabinet ministers with flawed ethics ruling, this time approving of them handing out government cheques labelled with Conservative Party logo (Canada.com and 5 CanWest News Service newspapers across Canada, January 14, 2010)

LETTER-TO-THE-EDITOR: Conservative Prime Minister Harper's arbitrary and undemocratic shutting down of Parliament offers him the opportunity to build a consensus on Senate reforms, instead of pushing his very questionable reforms (Toronto Star, January 8, 2010;  Vancouver Sun, January 9, 2010; Hill Times, January 11, 2010)

OP-ED: Honesty is the best government policy, and so it should be required by law (Owen Sound Sun Times, Kitchener-Waterloo Record and the Guelph Mercury on January 6, 2010, New Brunswick Telegraph-Journal and on Straightgoods.ca on January 7, 2010, and Kingston Whig Standard, January 14, 2010)

WEBSITE ARTICLE: Federal Parliamentary Budget Officer (PBO) will use his clear power to release reports while Parliament is shut down -- As Democracy Watch first pointed out, PBO would lose that power if made into an Officer of Parliament unless changes are made (Globe and Mail, January 6, 2009)

WEBSITE ARTICLE: Federal Task Force on Financial Literacy must recommend creation of financial industry citzen watchdog group, and bank regulation, to be effective (Toronto Star, December 24, 2009)

WEBSITE ARTICLE: Democracy Watch's successful court challenge leads to stronger restrictions on federal lobbyists giving gifts and doing favours for politicians, parties and government officials (Maclean's magazine, December 23, 2009)

REPORT CARD: Federal Conservatives' Accountability and Democratic Reform Record Earns Only an "E" Grade For Breaking Many Promises and Practising Politics As Usual -- Three Years After Federal Accountability Act Became Law, Dishonesty, Conflicts of Interest, Excessive Secrecy, Unlimited Donations and Patronage All Still Legal -- Another, Stronger Accountability Act Needed (December 16, 2009)

WEBSITE ARTICLE: Like all lobbying registries across Canada, Alberta's has huge loopholes that allow for secret, unethical lobbying (Calgary Herald, December 14, 2009)

NEWS RELEASE: As International Anti-Corruption Day Passes By, Canadian Governments Continue to Fail to Fulfill UN Convention Against Corruption Requirements and Other International Standards (December 9, 2009)

NEWS RELEASE: Big Banks Profit From Subsidies and Government Inaction on Gouging and Financial Consumer Empowerment -- Comprehensive Audits, and New Financial Consumer Watchdog Groups Needed For Effective Bank and Financial Services Industry Accountability (CCRC News Release (NOTE: The CCRC is coordinated by Democracy Watch), December 8, 2009) -- To hear related radio interview, click here (NOTE: The piece starts starts at the 5:25 min. mark of the show, and ends at the 16:45 min. mark of the show)

NEWS RELEASE: Ontario Liberals Reject Good Government Amendments to Their "Bad Government Act" --  Dishonesty, Secret Unlimited Donations, Secret Lobbying, Excessive Secrecy and Conflicts of Interest Still Allowed, and Independence of Public Inquiries Undermined (December 3, 2009) -- To hear related interview on CIUT Toronto's "Take Five" morning show, click here (NOTE: The interview starts starts at the 3:30 min. mark of the show, and ends at the 15:30 min. mark of the show)

LETTER TO THE EDITOR: Federal Conservatives broke their whistleblower protection and open government election promises, as the Afghan prisoner scandal makes clear (Toronto Star, November 20, 2009, National Post and Globe and Mail and Vancouver Sun, November 24-25, Edmonton Journal and Canada.com, November 29, 2009)

WEBSITE ARTICLE: Ontario Liberal government gives unjustifiable reasons for refusing to disclose details of contract for special prosecutor for Michael Bryant case (CTV.ca and 18 other media outlets, November 26, 2009) -- To hear related radio piece on CIUT Toronto's "Take Five" morning show, click here (NOTE: The piece starts starts at the 4 min. mark of the show, and ends at the 15 min. mark of the show)

WEBSITE ARTICLE: Given provincial laws that prohibit lobbyists from giving benefits to politicians or putting them in even a potential conflict of interest, activities of Ontario lobbyist raise serious questions (London Free Press and two other Sunmedia newspapers, November 17, 2009) -- To see related article, click here

WEBSITE ARTICLE: Federal lobbyists raise unreasonable concerns in response to Commissioner of Lobbying's new ethics Guideline (Hill Times, November 16, 2009) -- To see Democracy Watch's news release about the Guideline, click here

WEBSITE ARTICLE: Democracy Watch's proposals being seriously considered to close loopholes in Quebec's political finance system (Montreal Gazette, November 15, 2009)

NEWS RELEASE: Forced By Federal Court of Appeal Ruling, Federal Commissioner of Lobbying Finally Bans Lobbyists From Giving Gifts and Doing Favours For Politicians, Their Staff and Government Officials -- Will the Commissioner Uphold the Ban When Ruling on Past, Current and Future Cases? (November 12, 2009)

TV INTERVIEW (Part 1): Duff Conacher interviewed by StraightGoods.com about lobbying, ethics and political donation rules and weak enforcement in Canada and unethical lobbying activities (November 7, 2009)

TV INTERVIEW (Part 2): Duff Conacher interviewed by StraightGoods.com about loopholes in Canada's political donations system and weak enforcement that allow wealthy interests to buy influence (November 7, 2009)

OP-ED: Secret donations and unethical actions will continue to corrupt Canadian politics regularly until key changes are made -- Politicians of all stripes continue to protect a corrupt system (Guelph Mercury, Kitchener-Waterloo Record, Montreal Gazette, November 3-4, 2009, Hill Times, November 9, 2009)

NEWS RELEASE: Group Files Additional Information Supporting Complaints To Lobbying Commissioner, Ethics Commissioner and Elections Canada About Fundraising Events That Raise Serious Questions Held by Federal Conservatives Rick Dykstra and Lisa Raitt (November 3, 2009)

WEBSITE ARTICLE AND RADIO PIECE re: Ontario's Liberals' Bill 212 leaves many loopholes open that will allow money to continue to have undue, undemocratic influence in municipal politics (Radio-Canada.ca (French), November 3, 2009)

NEWS RELEASE: Group Files Complaints With Lobbying Commissioner, Ethics Commissioner and Elections Canada About Lobbyist's Assistance With Federal Conservative Fundraising Event That Raises Serious Questions (October 22, 2009)

WEBSITE ARTICLE AND RADIO PIECE: Failure of federal Conservatives to keep their promise to create an independent Public Appointments Commission to curb crony and patronage Cabinet appointments (Radio-Canada.ca (French), October 22, 2009)

NEWS RELEASE: Federal Conservatives' Proposed White-Collar Crime Measures Too Little, Too Late to Protect Investors and Consumers -- U.S. Experience Shows Two New Citizen Watchdog Groups Needed For Effective Corporate Accountability (October 21, 2009)

NEWS RELEASE: Group Files Complaints With Lobbying Commissioner, Ethics Commissioner and Elections Canada About Federal Conservative Fundraising Event At Rogers Centre That Raises Serious Questions (October 16, 2009)

OP-ED: It's our money, and so we should have a say in how banks and other financial institutions use our money (Straight.com, October 15, 2009)

WEBSITE ARTICLE: Conservative Prime Minister Harper's record of patronage appointments no better than past Liberal governments, but more hypocritical because he promised to create independent Public Appointments Commission (Vancouver Sun and Kelowna.com (Barbara Yaffe's column), October 14, 2009)

LETTER-TO-THE-EDITOR: If Federal Conservatives Had Kept Their Promise to End Secret Lobbying, Canadians Would Have Key Information Needed to Judge Fairness of Federal Government Decisions (Hill Times, October 12, 2009)

RADIO INTERVIEW: Duff Conacher on the lack of effective government accountability systems in Canada (CHUO Radio's "The Five O'Clock Train" show, October 8, 2009)

WEBSITE ARTICLE: Federal politicians' pay, perks and pension are too high and disconnect them from the concerns of most voters (MoneySense magazine, October 2009 issue)