2008 Assessment

This peer-reviewed country report includes:

Integrity Indicators Scorecard: Scores, scoring criteria, commentary, references, and peer review perspectives for more than 300 Integrity Indicators.

Reporter's Notebook: An on-the-ground look at corruption and integrity from a leading local journalist.

Corruption Timeline: Ten years of political context to today's corruption and integrity issues.

Country Facts: Statistical context for each country.

Despite strong performance in many areas, Canada continues to struggle with controlling the influence of money in the political process. There are no limits on loans to political parties or candidates, and in nomination and political party leadership races, loopholes allow for secrecy when it comes to financial contributions to candidates. Despite cooling-off periods for officials leaving the executive branch, Members of Parliament and their staff are not subject to any post-government employment restrictions, encouraging a revolving door effect between lawmakers and lobbyists. Meanwhile, the personal assets disclosures of Canadian Senators remain confidential and inaccessible to the public, a bizarre exception for one of the world's wealthier and more developed democracies. Judicial accountability is also weak, with no disclosure of personal assets or gifts, no restrictions on receiving gifts, and a complaints process in which judges judge other judges. Overall, government accountability watchdog agencies (including the police) either lack powers to enforce laws or have a weak enforcement record.