Minister of Defence Lobbyists

Globe: The defence lobbyist who became the minister:

Even as he creates a new rule that former ministers, ministerial staff and senior public servants cannot lobby the federal government for five years after they leave their jobs, Mr. Harper has named a former defence lobbyist to the post of defence minister. Until former brigadier-general Gordon O'Connor was elected in 2004 and named defence critic, he had for years been a registered lobbyist working for the public-affairs giant Hill & Knowlton and specializing in advising defence manufacturers on how to secure government contracts.

Consider a partial list of Mr. O'Connor's clients. From 1996 to 2004, he was an official lobbyist for defence contractor BAE Systems, which last June took over another of his clients, United Defense. From 1996 to 2001, he served defence contractor General Dynamics. From 1999 to 2004, he served naval electronics firm Atlas Elektronik GmbH. From 2001 to 2004, he served Airbus Military, maker of the A400M military transport plane, which has competed to provide transports for Canada's military...
It is not unusual for retired military officers to take jobs connected to the defence industry, but it is rare for a defence lobbyist to jump so quickly to the post of defence minister.

IN FAIRNESS: Prime Minister Harper Announces New Ministry and Reaffirms Government Priorities:

As part of the government's commitment to improved accountability and transparency, Prime Minister Harper issued a new guide and code of ethics for Ministers and their staff.... The revisions to the Conflict of Interest and Post-Employment Code for Public Office Holders include:

- a five-year ban on former ministers, ministerial staff and senior public servants from acting as lobbyists to the Government of Canada, a ban which cannot be waived or reduced by the Ethics Commissioner;

- in terms of other forms of employment, new requirements that the Ethics Commissioner publish instances in which former public office holders have been granted a waiver or reduction of the post-employment restrictions;

- clarification of arrangements for blind management agreements to ensure that a public office holder can only meet the manager of the agreement with the approval of, and in the presence of, the Ethics Commissioner, and by making more stringent the exceptional circumstances in which the public office holder may intervene;

- clarification that reports and findings of the Ethics Commissioner are final and may not be overturned by the Prime Minister;

- clarification that trusts, and benefits flowing therefrom, are subject to the Code; and

- clarification that the Ethics Commissioner may review complaints by members of the public that are brought to his attention by members of Parliament and that he may take such action as he deems appropriate