Toronto's executive committee has moved to reverse an unwise cutback this summer that gutted the city's long-promised lobbyist registry. Without debate, councillors on the committee voted this week to restore the watchdog agency's budget to a level giving it $711,000 over one year. That's what was supposed to go to the registry before city council chopped its budget almost in half in July.
The cut came after council postponed a decision on two new taxes. A financial crisis resulting from that delay gave councillors an excuse to starve the office that was to monitor lobbyists seeking influence at city hall. Denied essential money, the registry, which was to begin work in August, was unable to hire staff to start processing up to 5,000 expected registrations from people lobbying city politicians.
The executive committee's decision to restore funding is to go before city council later this month.
Toronto needs a mandatory, well-funded agency. Such a registry was a key recommendation of Madam Justice Denise Bellamy's landmark inquiry into corruption at city hall. More than two years after her final report in 2005, that recommendation remains stalled. If Bellamy's moral arguments are not compelling enough, a registry is also required under provincial legislation taking effect earlier this year giving Toronto new power and autonomy.
There is no legitimate excuse to keep starving this agency of money. To keep faith with Bellamy's reforms, follow provincial law and prevent fresh episodes of municipal corruption, Toronto City Council must provide the lobbyist registry with money necessary to do its job.
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