Honest Politics Now

What ethical conduct means in Canadian public life

There have been enormous changes in Canadian public life in the past two decades. More and more, politicians and officials are expected to act honestly and in the public interest. Yet, for many, honest politics is still an oxymoron.

Using high-profile political scandals as case studies, this book explores the standards of accountability to which Canadian politicians are now being held. The authors discuss conflict-of-interest and abuse-of-trust cases such as Brian Mulroney's receipt at secret meetings of envelopes stuffed with thousand dollar bills; the gas plant scandal in Ontario; Allison Redford's self-serving authorizations of spending in Alberta; Mike Duffy and the Senate expenses scandal; party financing cases such as the Robocalls affair; "dirty hands" examples such as the sponsorship scandal and the Arrar affair; the "cash for access" controversy surrounding Justin Trudeau's fundraisers; and municipal issues including the sagas of Rob Ford and Hazel McCallion.

Canada is a leader among countries promoting ethical politics in a democratic society. In this book expert authors from across the country discuss the strengths and weaknesses of measures now in place and point to the most important challenges that remain before Canadians can believe that honesty prevails in public life.