GROUP CALLS ON MEDIA TO ASK FEDERAL PARTY LEADERS
“IF YOU BREAK YOUR PROMISES, WILL YOU RESIGN?”
AND CALLS FOR EFFECTIVE “HONESTY-IN-POLITICS” LAW


"You can't allow governments, politicians, to work in a way that they do not have to keep their word."
Prime Minister Paul Martin, June 29, 2005

“We need change to make government more honest, more accountable, more democratic.” Conservative Party Leader Stephen Harper, November 29, 2005

“Honesty, fairness and transparency should be the rule, not the exception in our political life.”
NDP Leader Jack Layton, November 1, 2005


Thursday, December 1, 2005

OTTAWA - Today, with the election promises already rolling out from all the federal political parties, Democracy Watch called on media outlets across the country to ask federal political party leaders and candidates whether they will resign if they break their promises to voters, and whether they will pass an “honesty in politics” law if they form the next government.

"If they want voters’ trust, all party leaders must pledge to resign if they break their promises, and pledge to pass a law making it easy for voters to challenge dishonesty by politicians and other public officials,” said Duff Conacher, Coordinator of Democracy Watch and chairperson of the nation-wide Government Ethics Coalition. “If the media fail to challenge party leaders on these key pledges they will be helping the leaders mislead voters and escape effective accountability for promise-breaking.”

“I believe it is very important for political leaders to keep their promises. But don’t over promise, and then whatever you say you’re going to do -- do.” Prime Minister Paul Martin, May 29, 2004

Democracy Watch called on all the federal parties to promise they will pass a law making it illegal for all federal politicians, political staff, Cabinet appointees and all other federal public officials to mislead the public or be dishonest, and giving citizens an easy way to file a complaint with the federal Ethics Commissioner, and giving the Commissioner the power to impose very high fines for dishonesty.

Democracy Watch will be writing to each of the party leaders asking them to pledge to resign if they break their promises, and to pledge to pass an honesty-in-politics law.

"Canadians are sick of politicians baiting voters with promises, and then switching direction when they win power,” said Conacher. "The cynicism-breeding habit of politicians and public officialsmisleading the public will only be stopped if Canadians have an easy way to challenge dishonesty, and have the misleader punished, similar to the relatively easy way that exists to challenge corporations and corporate executives that are dishonest."




link