Capitalizing on outrage rekindled by the release of the sponsorship report, Conservative leader Stephen Harper has unveiled his party's "Accountability Act."

Addressing a gathering of party faithful in Ottawa Friday morning, Harper said his plan is aimed at a complete government makeover.

"This is about more than the specific sordid details of this specific scandal," he said to cheers. "It's about accountability."

In a speech outlining what amounts to his party's election campaign platform, Harper made clear his vision for the Prime Minister's Office.

"When I become prime minister I will undertake an unprecedented overhaul of the federal government," he said. "That is my commitment to you."

"Cleaning up government begins at the top," he added, accusing Prime Minister Paul Martin of deflecting blame whenever the taint of scandal touches him.

"Under Paul Martin's watch the waste and mismanagement and corruption has continued."

But Harper said things would change under his leadership, beginning with the introduction of a "Federal Accountability Act," as soon as the Conservatives form a government.

Highlights of the proposed legislation include:

• more powers to independent officers of Parliament, including the auditor general and ethics commissioner;
• measures to ensure federal grants and contracts "provide value for taxpayers' money;
• "real protection" for whistleblowers;
• reform of access to information laws
• merit-based appointments to public office;
• a complete ban on corporate and union donations, and an annual cap of $1,000 on individuals' donations to federal political parties; and
• a mandatory five-year break before former ministers and other senior public officials can lobby government.

"We must clean up corruption and lift up the veils of secrecy that have allowed it to flourish," Harper said, promising to "replace the culture of entitlement with a culture of accountability."

Brison's accusations

Following Harper's presentation, federal parties spent a good part of the day bickering over how many lobbyists worked in each other's camps.

Federal Public Works Minister Scott Brison alleged that Harper's history as an unregistered lobbyist makes him an unlikely booster of increased accountability, "given that Harper operated for four years as an unregistered lobbyist as head of the National Citizens' Coalition."

The Conservatives angrily dismissed the Liberal allegation, saying Harper wrote letters and delivered speeches at the conservative think-tank in attempts to influence public policy -- but he never lobbied ministers over expensive dinners.

NCC vice president Gerry Nicholls, meanwhile, is demanding an apology from the Nova Scotia Liberal MP. On CTV Newsnet's Mike Duffy Live, Nicholls pointed out that his coalition is not a lobby organization.

"We do not lobby politicians. We're a nonprofit organization that promotes things like free enterprise, less government and individual freedom ... and we do it through media ad campaigns, newspaper ads, radio commercials, and billboards."

Brison also told reporters that the NCC was charged six times for violating Canada's Elections Act and was, in fact, convicted once.

Nicholls said Brison is also "completely wrong" on this count. He said Brison is confused over several court challenges that the NCC spearheaded in order to challenge election law which it found "unconstitutional."

"That's quite different from being charged," said Nicholls. He continued: "Everything (Brison) said was false. Everything he said was untrue. Everything he said was malicious."

The NCC on Friday emailed Brison, demanding that he retract his statements and "publicly apologize to the National Citizens Coalition and to our supporters."

"Failure to do so could result in our pursuing other options," the email states.

Despite his comments, Brison nevertheless welcomed the Conservative plan as a "contribution to the public policy debate." But rather than touting his proposed legislation, Brison said Harper's agenda would be better served by submitting the ideas for inclusion in Justice John Gomery's second and final report.

"I would suggest that the Conservative Party use its intervener status before the Gomery Commission to submit these as part of his deliberations," he said.

Harper's eye on election victory -- and the chance to write the laws of the nation -- was likely brought into focus by a new Ipsos-Reid poll that shows his party in a virtual dead heat with the minority Liberals.

But the Conservative leader warned his party to be confident, but not complacent.

"Polls go up and polls go down -- don't be distracted by that," he said. "Let's keep assuming we're behind."