GEOFF ROBINS via Getty Images Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau speaks during a press conference following the conclusion of the Fifth Replenishment Conference of the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria in Montreal, Quebec, September 17, 2016. / AFP / Geoff Robins (Photo credit should read GEOFF ROBINS/AFP/Getty Images)

It has been more than a year since Canadians voted in a federal election to grant Justin Trudeau a majority government, after one of the longest federal election cycles in modern Canadian history. Trudeau's overwhelming support came from a message that revolved around "change." His campaign made a plethora of campaign promises, offering a fresh face, new ideas and the promise of transparency for the Liberal platform. Trudeau's actions in government have not lived up to expectations, and Canadians are taking notice. A recent poll has shown the Liberal government's approval rating dropping a staggering nine points to 42 per cent, from a November poll which had Liberal support at 51 per cent. Trudeau, once elected, released a document titled Open and Accountable Government, which detailed the ways in which the Liberal government would operate and maintain transparency. Trudeau is quoted in a news release as saying "We will uphold the highest standards of integrity and impartiality both in our public and private affairs." Trudeau's actions in government have not lived up to expectations, and Canadians are taking notice. Trudeau disregards his promises on ethics and transparency Justin Trudeau and the Liberal party have been under scrutiny regarding their multiple "cash-for-access" fundraisers. Cash for access can be described as providing money directly to a foundation or individual for meetings with high-ranking government officials, which could lead to a number of conflicts of interest. The Liberals held a $1,500 cash-for-access fundraiser at a wealthy Chinese-Canadian business executive's mansion in May. In attendance was Chinese businessman Zhang Bin, who along with a partner donated $1 million to the Trudeau foundation and the University of Montreal Faculty of Law not long after the event. Bin is an adviser to the Chinese government and a state network which promotes Chinese interests around the world. At this high-profile event were a number of Chinese billionaires, including insurance tycoon Shenglin Xian, who founded Wealth One Bank of Canada. This fundraiser had been at an opportune moment, as Xian had been waiting for approval from federal bank regulators for his Schedule 1 bank to start operations in Canada. Since Schedule 1 banks are domestic, they may receive deposits within Canada. As of July, the Liberal government has approved this bank, which opened branches in multiple cities across Canada.

Charles Lambert, president and CEO of Wealth One Canada, in the first retail branch in Canada. Wealth One hopes to cater to Chinese Canadians. (Chris So/Toronto Star via Getty Images) Such cash-for-access events go against the ethical guidelines and standards of conduct outlined by Trudeau when elected. A section of Trudeau's guidelines states that "There should be no preferential access to government, or appearance of preferential access, accorded to individuals or organizations because they have made financial contributions to politicians and political parties." The Liberals voted down a motion from the Conservatives, supported by the NDP, to transfer the Liberals ethics rules on lobbying and fundraising to the ethics commissioner Mary Dawson. The intent of this motion was to prevent potential conflicts of interest in government and stop cash-for-access events in Canadian politics while upholding Trudeau's own promise for a transparency in government. This scandal has shown a complete disregard for Canadian campaign finance laws, while the wealthy and lobbyists continue to erode democracy. Broken promises will impact the economy The Canadian economy has seen sluggish growth since the election, which has not been helped by terrible fiscal policy by the Liberal government. Trudeau had promised, once elected, to run consecutive deficits for three years. This campaign promise explicitly stated that these "small" yearly deficits would not exceed $10 billion a year.