hurley_108 hurley_108:
Well, if Dion isn't going to be an effective oppsition, someone has to.
Dion's been bought & paid for:
$1:
OTTAWA - As Parliament awaits the political finance reform proposals promised in June by Prime Minister Chrétien's as part of his so-called ethics package, Democracy Watch today released a study revealing links between top federal government contractors and their lobbying and donation activities (Please see chart set out below).
"The study reveals a clear pattern of large donations to the Liberals, and significant lobbying efforts, by most of the corporations that receive the most federal government contract dollars," said Democracy Watch board member Aaron Freeman.
The study examines the lobbying and donation activities of the Top 25 federal government contractors (ranked by dollar value of total contracts). The key conclusions of the study are that:
-17 of the 25 contractors (68%) are significant donors to the Liberal Party (Please note: only 1-2% of Canadian corporations donate to any federal political party);
-Contractors donated 6.5 times more money to the Liberals than to all opposition parties combined in 2001, and 3 times as much as to opposition parties in 2000;
-The donations divide is even more pronounced at the riding level -- contractors donated $30,814 to Liberal ridings and candidates in 2000-2001, but just $1,000 to opposition parties during those years (Please note: not all donations to ridings are required by law to be disclosed);
-None of the contractors donated to an opposition party without also giving to the Liberals; and
-16 of the 25 contractors (64%) have a lobbying presence in Ottawa, with a total of 72 lobbyists in 2000, and 84 lobbyists in 2001.
http://www.dwatch.ca/camp/RelsOct3102.html
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