Federal Accountability Act

The Federal Accountability Act (full title: "An Act providing for conflict of interest rules, restrictions on election financing and measures respecting administrative transparency, oversight and accountability") is a statute introduced as Bill C-2 in the first session of the 39th Canadian Parliament on April 11, 2006, by the President of the Treasury Board, John Baird. The plan aims to reduce the opportunity to exert influence with money by banning corporate, union, and large personal political donations; five-year lobbying ban on former ministers, their aides, and senior public servants; providing protection for whistle blowers; and enhancing the power for the Auditor General to follow the money spent by the government.

Notably, the bill comes at a time when the significance of political advocacy groups in electoral campaigns is increasing in Canada. The act limits and reveals the funding of political parties, but is blind to possible undue monetary influence on government policy by advocacy groups. Notable examples are the National Citizens Coalition, the Council of Canadians, and Ontarians For Responsible Government.

The bill (now a law) also aims to increase transparency of government spending, and establish clearer links between approved expenditures and their outcomes. (Previous legislation required linkage between expenditures and 'purpose', rather than outcomes.)

The bill was passed by the House of Commons on June 22, 2006, by the Senate on November 9, 2006, and was granted royal assent on December 12, 2006.