“Restoring accountability will be one of the major priorities of our new government. Accountability is what ordinary Canadians, working Canadians, those people who pay their bills, pay their taxes, expect from their political leaders.”
-Mr. Harper
[Source]

1. In 2008, Mr. Harper prorogued Parliament in order to avoid a no confidence vote. In 2009, Mr. Harper again prorogued Parliament, this time to derail investigations and to prevent a key witness from speaking about the Afghan detainees affair.
   [Source, Source]
2. In 2006, Mr. Harper changed the federal government’s relationship with the press. Mr. Harper has put limits on the number of questions asked at press conferences, delayed and heavily redacted released government documents, avoided interviews, and set about the dismantling of the CBC.
   [Source, Source, Source]
3. In 2007, the Harper government ruled that scientists must get permission from the government before speaking to media. Environment Canada now communicates 80 % less with reporters and media.
   [Source, Source, Source]
4. In 2011, a Parliamentary committee recommended that Mr. Harper’s government be found in contempt of Parliament for withholding important financial information. It was the first time history that a Commonwealth nation’s government was in contempt of Parliament.
   [Source, Source]
5. Mr. Harper pushed through Parliament the C-38 Omnibus Bill, a budget bill that included a large number of controversial, non-budget related policies, in order to avoid debate.
   [Source, Source, Source]
6. In 2004, Mr. Harper stated, “A Conservative government will not appoint to the Senate anyone who does not have a mandate from the people.” In 2008, Mr. Harper appointed a record-breaking 18 senators in one day. In 2009, Mr. Harper broke the record for the most Senate appointments in one year with 27 appointments.
   [Source, Source]
7. The PMO edited a Senate report on Mr. Duffy’s expenses in order to influence an independent audit.
   [Source, Source]
8. Since 2006, Mr. Harper’s government has made over 3,000 appointments despite speaking against patronage appointments. Mr. Harper spent more than $3 million for a non-partisan Public Appointments Commission that was never created.
   [Source, Source, Source]
9. The “In-and-Out scandal” had the Conservative Party avoid spending limits for the federal election by wiring money from the Conservative campaign headquarters out to several candidates’ accounts and then back again to the main headquarters.  The investigation cost taxpayers $2.3-million.
   [Source; Source]
10. Mr. Harper publicly criticized Marc Mayrand, the Chief Electoral Officer, for doing his job by investigating electoral misconduct by Conservative candidates.
    [Source, Source]

 

Is this the Canada you want?

Get the facts. Vote strategically.