#ETHI Recap: Government MPs veto NDP attempt to call in the Mounties to explain lack of prosecutions

UPDATE: Well, that was a lively start to the now officially underway five-year review of the Lobbying Act: Midway through today's meeting, the NDP attempted to implement one of Lobbying Commissioner Karen Shepherd's recommendations on the spot by putting forward a proposal to invite the relevant RCMP officials to appear before the committee to provide a little more detail on how they deal with files referred by the OLC; or, more specifically, why, the Mounties have so consistently given a thumbs down to the notion of bringing charges against possible lawbreakers. 

Not surprisingly -- well, not to those who have been paying attention to the now standard operating procedure for government MPs when confronted with opposition motions of any variety -- the Conservative contingent put the boots to the motion, but judging from the reaction that the rebuff elicited from the other side of the table, this may not be the last we've heard of that potential avenue of investigation. 

The commissioner also urged the government to amend the law to give her the power to impose administrative penalties, as well as remove the designation that requires registration only if lobbying constitutes a "significant" portion of an individual's professional responsibilities -- the 20 percent rule, in other words -- as well as extending to her office "limited immunity" from civil proceedings, particularly defamation. 

Replay the liveblog for complete coverage! 

 

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 Shepherd's appearance comes just one day after the release of her report on the activities of former Conservative MP Rahim Jaffer and his erstwhile business partner Patrick Glemaud, both of whom were determined to have breached the Lobbyists' Code of Conduct.

As Colleague Weston points out, the Jaffer/Glemaud case may give Shepherd the perfect opening to pitch a more rigorous enforcement regime, which currently leaves the commissioner powerless to impose sanctions for such transgressions. 

It all gets started at 8:45 am, so check back for full coverage! 

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