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Solicitor General MacAulay claims in the house what he did was good for Canada. |
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Niagara Falls, Ontario - Thursday, October 10, 2002 - by: Joe Hueglin | |||||||
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revolt |
A Liberal back bench revolt has succeeded. A proposal to have their spouses assets | ||||||
listed to avoid conflict of interest has been scrapped. | |||||||
cabinet |
The "entire ethics package, promised in June amid |
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an ongoing scandal about government contracts."(1) |
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does nothing, however, to increase the accountability of Cabinet Ministers. | |||||||
parliament |
A "Jurisconsult" is to be appointed. Questions of ethical conduct of M.P.s and Senators | ||||||
will be reported to Parliament. The outcome of similar investigations over the ethics of | |||||||
Cabinet Ministers, however, such as that currently underweigh into Solicitor General | |||||||
MacAuley's actions in P.E.I., will not be affected. The Prime Minister alone will receive | |||||||
these findings. | |||||||
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private |
A Liberal M.P. is quoted as saying | ||||||
"it would be wrong for Mr. Chrétien to create an |
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independent watchdog for MPs but not one for |
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Cabinet ministers because backbenchers have the |
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least influence in government." (2). |
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It is indeed unfortunate, believing this to be so, the pressure backbenchers brought to | |||||||
bear was directed at protecting their private interests, rather than that of ensuring | |||||||
Cabinet accountability. | |||||||
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Reference: | |||||||
Chretien suggests he will soften reporting requirements for MPs' spouses , Canadian Press October 8, 2002 | |||||||
Fife, Robert and Dawson, Anne, Chretien bows to backbench on ethics code Spouses not included Wednesday, October 9, 2002, National Post | |||||||
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