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Duff Conacher

Duff Conacher is the co-founder of Democracy Watch and a visiting professor at the University of Ottawa.

Election without foreign interference is much more important than early election

  • Voters should seriously consider not voting for any party that prevents all the much-needed anti-foreign interference measures from passing before a federal election happens.
Opinion | BY DUFF CONACHER | March 6, 2025
Commissioner Justice Marie-Josée Hogue, pictured Jan. 28, 2025, holding a press conference at the Library and Archives Canada in Ottawa after releasing the final report from the Public Foreign Interference Inquiry. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Election without foreign interference is much more important than early election

Opinion | BY DUFF CONACHER | March 6, 2025
  • Voters should seriously consider not voting for any party that prevents all the much-needed anti-foreign interference measures from passing before a federal election happens.

Election without foreign interference is much more important than early election

Opinion | BY DUFF CONACHER | March 6, 2025
  • Voters should seriously consider not voting for any party that prevents all the much-needed anti-foreign interference measures from passing before a federal election happens.
Commissioner Justice Marie-Josée Hogue, pictured Jan. 28, 2025, holding a press conference at the Library and Archives Canada in Ottawa after releasing the final report from the Public Foreign Interference Inquiry. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Bélanger’s proposed Lobbyists’ Code changes should go much further

  • Re: “Democracy Watch and citizen advocacy groups prepare opposition to proposed Lobbyists’ Code changes,” (The Hill Times, July 4). The story did not summarize
Opinion | BY DUFF CONACHER | July 11, 2022
Canada's federal Lobbying Commissioner Karen Bélanger. Democracy Watch's Duff Conacher argues that the commissioner’s proposed cooling-off periods for lobbyists will allow for 'corrupt favour-trading'. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Bélanger’s proposed Lobbyists’ Code changes should go much further

Opinion | BY DUFF CONACHER | July 11, 2022
  • Re: “Democracy Watch and citizen advocacy groups prepare opposition to proposed Lobbyists’ Code changes,” (The Hill Times, July 4). The story did not summarize

Bélanger’s proposed Lobbyists’ Code changes should go much further

Opinion | BY DUFF CONACHER | July 11, 2022
  • Re: “Democracy Watch and citizen advocacy groups prepare opposition to proposed Lobbyists’ Code changes,” (The Hill Times, July 4). The story did not summarize
Canada's federal Lobbying Commissioner Karen Bélanger. Democracy Watch's Duff Conacher argues that the commissioner’s proposed cooling-off periods for lobbyists will allow for 'corrupt favour-trading'. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

MPs need to stop changing their unethical ethics code behind closed doors

  • What’s the most important set of rules for MPs’ decision-making and relations with their staff, lobbyists, and voters? Don’t know the answer? That’s not
Opinion | BY DUFF CONACHER | April 6, 2022
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau speaks with reporters before the Liberal caucus meeting in West Block on Feb. 16. When governments, political parties, and politicians see that the media does not think an issue or policy-making process is newsworthy, they know they will face little public accountability for making bad decisions, writes Duff Conacher. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

MPs need to stop changing their unethical ethics code behind closed doors

Opinion | BY DUFF CONACHER | April 6, 2022
  • What’s the most important set of rules for MPs’ decision-making and relations with their staff, lobbyists, and voters? Don’t know the answer? That’s not

MPs need to stop changing their unethical ethics code behind closed doors

Opinion | BY DUFF CONACHER | April 6, 2022
  • What’s the most important set of rules for MPs’ decision-making and relations with their staff, lobbyists, and voters? Don’t know the answer? That’s not
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau speaks with reporters before the Liberal caucus meeting in West Block on Feb. 16. When governments, political parties, and politicians see that the media does not think an issue or policy-making process is newsworthy, they know they will face little public accountability for making bad decisions, writes Duff Conacher. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Loophole-filled, weakly enforced lobbying and ethics laws a sad joke

  • The federal Lobbying Act and Lobbyists’ Code of Conduct, as well as federal ethics rules in the Conflict of Interest Act, MPs’ and Senators’
Opinion | BY DUFF CONACHER | January 19, 2022
Lobbying Commissioner Nancy Bélanger is pictured ahead of a December 2017 House Ethics Committee meeting. The committee has called for the Lobbying Act to do away with the 20 per cent rule for a decade, writes Duff Conacher. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Loophole-filled, weakly enforced lobbying and ethics laws a sad joke

Opinion | BY DUFF CONACHER | January 19, 2022
  • The federal Lobbying Act and Lobbyists’ Code of Conduct, as well as federal ethics rules in the Conflict of Interest Act, MPs’ and Senators’

Loophole-filled, weakly enforced lobbying and ethics laws a sad joke

Opinion | BY DUFF CONACHER | January 19, 2022
  • The federal Lobbying Act and Lobbyists’ Code of Conduct, as well as federal ethics rules in the Conflict of Interest Act, MPs’ and Senators’
Lobbying Commissioner Nancy Bélanger is pictured ahead of a December 2017 House Ethics Committee meeting. The committee has called for the Lobbying Act to do away with the 20 per cent rule for a decade, writes Duff Conacher. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Trudeau Liberals’ predictable appointments scandal could have been prevented

  • OTTAWA—Throughout 2016, new Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his ministers claimed repeatedly they were changing the cabinet appointment system to ensure it was “transparent,
Opinion | BY DUFF CONACHER | February 25, 2021
Through 2017-2018, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's Liberals chose a new information commissioner, privacy commissioner, parliamentary budget officer, auditor general, chief electoral officer and governor general, all key guardians of our democracy, using secretive, cabinet-controlled processes, writes Duff Conacher. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Trudeau Liberals’ predictable appointments scandal could have been prevented

Opinion | BY DUFF CONACHER | February 25, 2021
  • OTTAWA—Throughout 2016, new Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his ministers claimed repeatedly they were changing the cabinet appointment system to ensure it was “transparent,

Trudeau Liberals’ predictable appointments scandal could have been prevented

Opinion | BY DUFF CONACHER | February 25, 2021
  • OTTAWA—Throughout 2016, new Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his ministers claimed repeatedly they were changing the cabinet appointment system to ensure it was “transparent,
Through 2017-2018, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's Liberals chose a new information commissioner, privacy commissioner, parliamentary budget officer, auditor general, chief electoral officer and governor general, all key guardians of our democracy, using secretive, cabinet-controlled processes, writes Duff Conacher. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Ambassador Barton’s financial interests conflict with Canada’s interests

  • Dominic Barton, Canada’s new ambassador to China, has extensive financial interests that conflict with Canada’s interests, and nothing he has done resolves those conflicts.
Opinion | BY DUFF CONACHER | February 5, 2020
Canada's ambassador to China, Dominic Barton, left, pictured with former broadcaster Don Newman, is using an 'ethics screen' to prevent conflicts of interest, but it ultimately doesn’t prohibit him from participating in decisions if 'the interest in the decision or matter is of general application,' writes Duff Conacher. The Hill Times file photograph

Ambassador Barton’s financial interests conflict with Canada’s interests

Opinion | BY DUFF CONACHER | February 5, 2020
  • Dominic Barton, Canada’s new ambassador to China, has extensive financial interests that conflict with Canada’s interests, and nothing he has done resolves those conflicts.

Ambassador Barton’s financial interests conflict with Canada’s interests

Opinion | BY DUFF CONACHER | February 5, 2020
  • Dominic Barton, Canada’s new ambassador to China, has extensive financial interests that conflict with Canada’s interests, and nothing he has done resolves those conflicts.
Canada's ambassador to China, Dominic Barton, left, pictured with former broadcaster Don Newman, is using an 'ethics screen' to prevent conflicts of interest, but it ultimately doesn’t prohibit him from participating in decisions if 'the interest in the decision or matter is of general application,' writes Duff Conacher. The Hill Times file photograph

Loophole-filled, weakly enforced lobbying law still an unethical facade

  • The federal Lobbying Act continues to be an unethical facade 30 years after it came into force, as is the Lobbyists’ Code of Conduct,
Opinion | BY DUFF CONACHER | January 20, 2020

Loophole-filled, weakly enforced lobbying law still an unethical facade

Opinion | BY DUFF CONACHER | January 20, 2020
  • The federal Lobbying Act continues to be an unethical facade 30 years after it came into force, as is the Lobbyists’ Code of Conduct,

Loophole-filled, weakly enforced lobbying law still an unethical facade

Opinion | BY DUFF CONACHER | January 20, 2020
  • The federal Lobbying Act continues to be an unethical facade 30 years after it came into force, as is the Lobbyists’ Code of Conduct,

Our dishonest election could have been prevented

  • OTTAWA—Upset at the rampant dishonesty during the recent election by politicians, and interest groups in their Facebook and Twitter posts? You should be—but you
Opinion | BY DUFF CONACHER | November 4, 2019
In what the Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's Liberals called the 'Election Modernization Act' (Bill C-76), huge backwards steps were taken despite the protests of many experts and tens of thousands of Canadians. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Our dishonest election could have been prevented

Opinion | BY DUFF CONACHER | November 4, 2019
  • OTTAWA—Upset at the rampant dishonesty during the recent election by politicians, and interest groups in their Facebook and Twitter posts? You should be—but you

Our dishonest election could have been prevented

Opinion | BY DUFF CONACHER | November 4, 2019
  • OTTAWA—Upset at the rampant dishonesty during the recent election by politicians, and interest groups in their Facebook and Twitter posts? You should be—but you
In what the Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's Liberals called the 'Election Modernization Act' (Bill C-76), huge backwards steps were taken despite the protests of many experts and tens of thousands of Canadians. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

After SNC-Lavalin scandal, how do we ensure unbiased law enforcement across Canada?

  • Try to forget about the people and parties involved in the SNC-Lavalin/Attorney General of Canada/Prime Minister’s Office scandal. If you wanted to ensure that
Opinion | BY DUFF CONACHER | March 18, 2019
Try to forget about the people and parties involved in the SNC-Lavalin/Attorney General of Canada/Prime Minister’s Office scandal. If you wanted to ensure that justice is not only done but will 'manifestly and undoubtedly be seen to be done,' and to remove the appearance of bias in law enforcement across Canada, what would you do, asks Duff Conacher. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

After SNC-Lavalin scandal, how do we ensure unbiased law enforcement across Canada?

Opinion | BY DUFF CONACHER | March 18, 2019
  • Try to forget about the people and parties involved in the SNC-Lavalin/Attorney General of Canada/Prime Minister’s Office scandal. If you wanted to ensure that

After SNC-Lavalin scandal, how do we ensure unbiased law enforcement across Canada?

Opinion | BY DUFF CONACHER | March 18, 2019
  • Try to forget about the people and parties involved in the SNC-Lavalin/Attorney General of Canada/Prime Minister’s Office scandal. If you wanted to ensure that
Try to forget about the people and parties involved in the SNC-Lavalin/Attorney General of Canada/Prime Minister’s Office scandal. If you wanted to ensure that justice is not only done but will 'manifestly and undoubtedly be seen to be done,' and to remove the appearance of bias in law enforcement across Canada, what would you do, asks Duff Conacher. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

How to untie the unethical knots revealed by Morneau’s scandal

  • OTTAWA—In all the spin about Finance Minister Bill Morneau’s conflicts of interest scandal, what are the real problems, and how can the unethical knots
Opinion | BY DUFF CONACHER | November 6, 2017
Finance Minister Bill Morneau, pictured recently on the Hill. In all the spin about Mr. Morneau’s conflicts of interest scandal, what are the real problems, and how can the unethical knots that the scandal reveals be untied to ensure ethical government decision-making in the future? The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

How to untie the unethical knots revealed by Morneau’s scandal

Opinion | BY DUFF CONACHER | November 6, 2017
  • OTTAWA—In all the spin about Finance Minister Bill Morneau’s conflicts of interest scandal, what are the real problems, and how can the unethical knots

How to untie the unethical knots revealed by Morneau’s scandal

Opinion | BY DUFF CONACHER | November 6, 2017
  • OTTAWA—In all the spin about Finance Minister Bill Morneau’s conflicts of interest scandal, what are the real problems, and how can the unethical knots
Finance Minister Bill Morneau, pictured recently on the Hill. In all the spin about Mr. Morneau’s conflicts of interest scandal, what are the real problems, and how can the unethical knots that the scandal reveals be untied to ensure ethical government decision-making in the future? The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

If federal government was open, Norman case wouldn’t be about disclosing secrets

  • OTTAWA—In addressing the issues raised by the situation involving Vice-Admiral Mark Norman, some commentators, and the Trudeau cabinet, are confusing the requirements of loyalty
Opinion | BY DUFF CONACHER | June 19, 2017
Navy commander Vice-Admiral Mark Norman on March 8 2016. He was later made vice-chief of defence staff, and then removed from that post in January 2016. The Hill Times photograph by Sam Garcia

If federal government was open, Norman case wouldn’t be about disclosing secrets

Opinion | BY DUFF CONACHER | June 19, 2017
  • OTTAWA—In addressing the issues raised by the situation involving Vice-Admiral Mark Norman, some commentators, and the Trudeau cabinet, are confusing the requirements of loyalty

If federal government was open, Norman case wouldn’t be about disclosing secrets

Opinion | BY DUFF CONACHER | June 19, 2017
  • OTTAWA—In addressing the issues raised by the situation involving Vice-Admiral Mark Norman, some commentators, and the Trudeau cabinet, are confusing the requirements of loyalty
Navy commander Vice-Admiral Mark Norman on March 8 2016. He was later made vice-chief of defence staff, and then removed from that post in January 2016. The Hill Times photograph by Sam Garcia

Five-year ban only on being a registered lobbyist, not on lobbying

  • Rather than scrap the so-called five-year ban on lobbying which will only increase the level of unethical lobbying in Ottawa, as a May 3 Globe
Opinion | BY DUFF CONACHER | May 16, 2016
Staffers, journalists, and lobbyists, pictured at D'Arcy McGee's Pub in Ottawa at a party. Right now backbench MPs have the same cooling-off period as the PM, cabinet ministers and senior government officials. That doesn't make sense in most cases, writes Duff Conacher. The Hill Times photograph by Jake Wright

Five-year ban only on being a registered lobbyist, not on lobbying

Opinion | BY DUFF CONACHER | May 16, 2016
  • Rather than scrap the so-called five-year ban on lobbying which will only increase the level of unethical lobbying in Ottawa, as a May 3 Globe

Five-year ban only on being a registered lobbyist, not on lobbying

Opinion | BY DUFF CONACHER | May 16, 2016
  • Rather than scrap the so-called five-year ban on lobbying which will only increase the level of unethical lobbying in Ottawa, as a May 3 Globe
Staffers, journalists, and lobbyists, pictured at D'Arcy McGee's Pub in Ottawa at a party. Right now backbench MPs have the same cooling-off period as the PM, cabinet ministers and senior government officials. That doesn't make sense in most cases, writes Duff Conacher. The Hill Times photograph by Jake Wright

How to democratize political finance systems across Canada

  • OTTAWA—Some politicians and commentators have recently made proposals that won’t stop big money from corrupting Canadian politics. The most questionable claim is that the
Opinion | BY DUFF CONACHER | April 11, 2016
Democratic Institutions Minister Maryam Monsef, pictured in this file photo, is responsible for any changes to Canada's campaign financing laws as the minister responsible for the Elections Canada and the Elections Act. The Hill Times photograph by Jake Wright

How to democratize political finance systems across Canada

Opinion | BY DUFF CONACHER | April 11, 2016
  • OTTAWA—Some politicians and commentators have recently made proposals that won’t stop big money from corrupting Canadian politics. The most questionable claim is that the

How to democratize political finance systems across Canada

Opinion | BY DUFF CONACHER | April 11, 2016
  • OTTAWA—Some politicians and commentators have recently made proposals that won’t stop big money from corrupting Canadian politics. The most questionable claim is that the
Democratic Institutions Minister Maryam Monsef, pictured in this file photo, is responsible for any changes to Canada's campaign financing laws as the minister responsible for the Elections Canada and the Elections Act. The Hill Times photograph by Jake Wright

To referendum or not to referendum, not the only voting question

  • OTTAWA—To referendum or not to referendum: that is not the only question in the ongoing debate about reforming Canada’s voting system. The overall issue
Opinion | BY DUFF CONACHER | January 11, 2016

To referendum or not to referendum, not the only voting question

Opinion | BY DUFF CONACHER | January 11, 2016
  • OTTAWA—To referendum or not to referendum: that is not the only question in the ongoing debate about reforming Canada’s voting system. The overall issue

To referendum or not to referendum, not the only voting question

Opinion | BY DUFF CONACHER | January 11, 2016
  • OTTAWA—To referendum or not to referendum: that is not the only question in the ongoing debate about reforming Canada’s voting system. The overall issue
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