XPost: alt.travel.canada, misc.invest.canada, soc.culture.canada   
   XPost: can.general, can.politics   
   From: abc@a123.ca   
      
   CORRUPTION PERCEPTIONS INDEX 2011   
      
   Berlin, 1 December 2011 – Corruption continues to plague too many   
   countries around the world, according to Transparency International’s   
   2011 Corruption Perceptions Index released today. It shows some   
   governments failing to protect citizens from corruption, be it abuse of   
   public resources, bribery or secretive decision-making.   
      
   Transparency International warned that protests around the world, often   
   fuelled by corruption and economic instability, clearly show citizens   
   feel their leaders and public institutions are neither transparent nor   
   accountable enough.   
      
   “This year we have seen corruption on protestors’ banners be they rich or   
   poor. Whether in a Europe hit by debt crisis or an Arab world starting a   
   new political era, leaders must heed the demands for better government,”   
   said Huguette Labelle, Chair of Transparency International.   
      
   CORRUPTION PERCEPTIONS INDEX 2011: THE RESULTS   
      
   The index scores 183 countries and territories from 0 (highly corrupt) to   
   10 (very clean) based on perceived levels of public sector corruption. It   
   uses data from 17 surveys that look at factors such as enforcement of   
   anti-corruption laws, access to information and conflicts of interest.   
      
   Two thirds of ranked countries score less than 5.   
      
   New Zealand ranks first, followed by Finland and Denmark.   
      
   Canada ranked 10th.   
      
   Somalia and North Korea (included in the index for the first time), are   
   last.   
      
   1 New Zealand 9.5   
   2 Denmark 9.4   
   2 Finland 9.4   
   4 Sweden 9.3   
   5 Singapore 9.2   
   6 Norway 9.0   
   7 Netherlands 8.9   
   8 Australia 8.8   
   8 Switzerland 8.8   
   10 Canada 8.7 (#1 in the Americas region)   (2010 ranked 10)   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)