1. Transparency is the disclosure of information about all government proceedings and the use of that information by the public. Wendy Ginsberg lists the requirements for transparency to work in her 2012 report to members and committees of the United States Congress; it must have “a public that can access, understand, and use the information it receives from the federal government.” Transparency is important because it is the key to accountability. It provides citizens with information they can use to hold leaders accountable for their actions, and politicians and bureaucrats are less likely to break the law if they know their wrongdoing will be discovered. Accountability is the responsibility of the government, politicians and civilians. servants of the public for their actions. Accountability is important because it makes leaders accountable for the consequences of their actions and helps enforce proper conduct in the execution of their tasks because they are aware that they will suffer punishment for misconduct. As Unit 6 explains, access to information is an element of transparency is applied in the Canadian Access to Information Act. The law was particularly useful in exposing the sponsorship scandal, when Globe and Mail journalist Daniel Leblanc reported it used to access information and write a series of articles about the sponsorship program. Accountability followed through audits and investigations that led to criminal charges against some Program participants, as well as the defeat of the Liberal government. Transparency is not adequately protected in Canada for two main reasons: psychological influence and practical application. Unit 6 explains that information is power; whoever has more information has more influence, and bureaucrats fear... of middle paper... it is the client or beneficiary of clientelism who is perhaps not well equipped. The effective use of patronage has numerous benefits. It contributed to government accountability; can be used to increase the representation of underrepresented groups in government, especially in a highly diverse nation like Canada. It can also be used to bridge political gaps and build coalitions, just as former US presidents Reagan and Clinton did, who used cronyism to alter the policy directions of the Federal Trade Commission and the Federal Communications Commission; not only that, but patronage has been used to emphasize conservation by attempting to alter the direction of the US Forest Service. So instead of eliminating the entire patronage system, it needs to be improved with a more rigorous evaluation process to confirm or reject the client's capabilities and integrity..