Information & Ethics committee  First of all, Chair, the CBA position deals only with the Conflict of Interest Act. We haven't commented on the members' code, although, as members will appreciate, there are similar provisions. Speaking to the Conflict of Interest Act, we draw attention to the fact that in annex B of “Accountable Government”, there are, concerning political fundraising by ministers and parliamentary secretaries, what we think are very clear and thorough guidelines that seek to separate quite clearly the lobbying and decision-making related to government policy from political fundraising.

Information & Ethics committee  Thank you. Ms. Froc will begin.

Information & Ethics committee  As Kerri said, I'm an executive member of the CBA's national administrative law section, and I chair the CBA's committee on the law of lobbying and ethics. Everyone covered by the Conflict of Interest Act holds a privileged position and each has volunteered for public service.

Information & Ethics committee  Again, I'll speak personally because I don't want to tie the CBA to this. That is the uninformed, inaccurate, biased position of many consultant lobbyists. That's a distortion of the commissioner's process. By the way, CBA is recommending a review and an appeal, to be clear. The commissioner's process already ensures that lobbyists who are the subject of inquiries have full knowledge and full disclosure of all the allegations against them, and they're allowed to respond.

Information & Ethics committee  My personal opinion is that the five-year ban is appropriate and ought to remain. It ought to extend, as it does now, to the current group of designated public office holders, which would include MPs and senators.

Information & Ethics committee  No, thank you.

Information & Ethics committee  I'll comment on that. I'll comment personally because I don't think the CBA has a developed position on all of that, although it touches on the CBA recommendation. The short answer is that there is consolidation in some jurisdictions. Ontario is one, where the integrity commissioner and the lobbyists registrar are the same person.

Information & Ethics committee  Very briefly, the CBA has no position on that. You can take from the negative recommendation the CBA is not advocating changing that. I'll add this. When you're looking at who is a designated public office holder, what counts is not what you know, it's who you know, because the restriction is on making contacts.

Information & Ethics committee  Madam Chair, the CBA has no position on that. I do, personally. My answer to the member is yes.

Information & Ethics committee  My answer is I do think it is strange. Yes, I think it is strange.

Information & Ethics committee  The CBA has no position on that. I do, personally. My answer is yes.

Information & Ethics committee  The short answer, Madam Chair, to the member's question is yes, there are two jurisdictions in Canada where penalties have been imposed on lobbyists. One is British Columbia, where there's been one conviction. The most active and aggressive enforcement of the rules governing lobbying and lobbying transparency is in Quebec, where the lobbying commissioner has brought many convictions.

Information & Ethics committee  Again, I'm losing track between CBA positions and mine, so I'm just going to answer personally here.

Information & Ethics committee  I'd simply add that there are a range of internal reviews. The Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner has in place in her office a review process before she imposes her own administrative monetary penalties.

Information & Ethics committee  Thank you. The CBA working group did not take a position on this particular issue, although the group is aware of other recommendations. My personal view is that the commissioner is right that this needs to be expanded. But Madam Chair, I should clarify this. Under federal law there are two regimes.