Want to Meet Harper? Got 1000 Dollars?
From the Hill Times:The Conservatives will hold a reception on Monday for members of the party's exclusive Leader's Circle, those who gave $1,000 this year, but opposition critics were quick to slam the move last week, saying the government isn't practising what it preaches in the Federal Accountability Act's world of politics.
"The Laurier Club and the Conservative equivalent are all about buying access and buying influence and, believe me, a lot of those $1,000 donors are people who are interested in self-promotion of their issues and interests. There'll be a lot of lobbyists there, there'll be a lot of people who want the cooperation of the government and if you can't get a meeting with the minister you can buy a meeting with the minister for a $1,000 and that's what's so offensive," said NDP MP Pat Martin (Winnipeg Centre, Man.) in an interview with The Hill Times last week.
"Back in April, when the Federal Accountability Act was introduced, the Conservatives told us that they were going to change their behaviour right away as if the new laws were in effect. Now it's not their fault that the law has not taken force; that's the fault of the deliberate obstruction by the Liberal Party. The Conservatives are certainly within the law but certainly playing fast and loose with the spirit of the law."
Hill Times
