Former MP Fined Under Lobbyists Reigstration Act
Friday, December 14, 2012 @ 1:58 PM
Prince George, B.C- Former Prince George-Peace River MP Jay Hill has been fined for non compliance with the Lobbyists Registration Act.
Hill was investigated by Deputy Registrar of lobbyists Mary Carlson for allegedly filing a late registration. The Deputy Registrar’s investigation confirmed Hill had registered an undertaking to lobby when he had not in fact been retained to lobby. Based on the evidence, the Deputy Registrar found that the lobbyist had supplied inaccurate information to the Lobbyists Registry in contravention of sections 3(1) and 4(1) of the act.
Hill was fined an administrative penalty of $2,500.00
He requested the decision be reconsidered, and while Registrar of Lobbyists Elizabeth Denham confirmed the initial findings, she reduced the amount of the penalty. “ There is no evidence of an economic benefit to Mr. Hill or economic harm to others” says Denham “ I am also of the view that Mr. Hill’s motives in registering are relevant. I accept that, far from setting out to mislead anyone or conceal his activities, he filed a return in an effort to be open. Accordingly, I am varying the penalty, which is to be set at $250."
Both the Deputy Registrar’s investigation report and the Registrar’s reconsideration report are available at: www.lobbyistsregistrar.bc.ca
Comments
I wonder if MPs of other political views would have received the same treatment and a lesser fine.
So you are questioning the integrity of Mary Carlson?
This is a story?
I like Jay Hill, but this is ridiculous. Being a former MP and the influence he has within government there should be no easy street when it comes to playing around and not meeting the requirements set out to protect the integrity of the political system.
This decision sends out the wrong message… the neo-cons will surely view this as a green light to push the envelope even further.
I find it absolutely asinine that I can be fined nearly $10,000 for a mistake my lawyer makes on a property transfer document, and I get no ‘decision’ to reflect circumstances that lead to an error by a professional lawyer… but if its a politician at the heart of making profound decisions for the country, then they get the 90% reduction for ‘openness and good intent’?
The system surely has two sets of standards… more and more this becomes a problem in Canada and is changing the country we once knew.
“Hill had registered an undertaking to lobby when he had not in fact been retained to lobby”
“far from setting out to mislead anyone or conceal his activities, he filed a return in an effort to be open”
It sounds like he registered although he didn’t need to so he’s being fined….I can understand if he hadn’t registered and was lobbying they would fine but this?
I think a more important question is why MPs can be lobbyists in the first place, using the contacts they developed during their service as a servant of the people. Personally, I think that legislation is needed to ban any MP (or MLA, or municipal councillor for that matter) from lobbying at any level of government for a period of ten years after ceasing to be a representative.
The same should apply to political appointees and the leading lights in government ministries.
“integrity” of the political system??
There’s an oxymoron!
Only those with money can Lobby, or at least lobby successfully. And they call this democracy?
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