Federal Accountability Act Becomes Law

The Federal Accountability Act, one of the Conservative government's top five priorities on taking office at the beginning of 2006, received Royal Assent on December 12, 2006. The Federal Accountability Act is the cornerstone of the Conservative government's promise to clean up government after the political and administrative scandals of the previous Liberal government. The Senate proposed about 150 amendments, 90 of which were eventually accepted. The Federal Accountability Act is a huge piece of legislation that makes substantive changes to 45 acts and amends more than 100 others. Different sections of the Act will come into force at different times.

The Federal Accountability Act covers

• political financing
• expanding the role of the Ethics Commissioner
• strengthening the Lobbyists Registration Act
• creating a Parliamentary Budgetary Authority
• improving the process of federal government appointments
• cleaning up the federal government procurement process
• providing protection for whistleblowers
• strengthening access to information legislation, although most reforms to access to information law were hived off from the Federal Accountability Act and referred to a committee for more study
• strengthening the power of the Auditor General
• strengthening auditing and accounting in government departments
• creation of the Office of Director of Public Prosecutions

More on the Federal Accountability Act
Treasury Board of Canada Backgrounders on Federal Accountability Act and Action Plan
Commons Accepts Amended Accountability Act - CTV News
50 Undemocratic and Accountability Loopholes in Canada's Federal Government - Democracy Watch
Accountability Act Passes, but Much Work Still Needed - Liberal Party Reaction