Lobbying and Ethics
Joly, Freeland top lobbying targets as activity continues to grow
Lobbying numbers spiked in November as MPs marked the second full month of regular proceedings after the pandemic disrupted the legislative calendar, with a more than 300 per cent increase in activity from the previous year. Consultants, corporations, and organizations logged a total of 3,284 communications reports in November, compared to 818 the year before, […]
Bill C-7 is a matter of life and death for persons with disabilities
By cavalierly hurrying through Parliament and limiting debate on legislation to expand access to assisted death in Canada (Bill C-7), the Canadian government is fast-tracking the deaths of persons with disabilities. Up until now, medical assistance in dying (MAiD) has been limited to those at the end of their lives. Similar to palliative care and […]
Dropping premier approval rates and cooling federal Tory support in key Prairie provinces not a problem for O’Toole, say politicos
With the federal Tories’ support cooling off in three reliably blue Prairie provinces, politicos say Conservative Party Leader Erin O’Toole’s biggest concern is still introducing himself to Canadians and less about being painted by the same brush as his provincial conservative counterparts. Though the federal party is performing poorer in western provinces where the blue […]
End of five-year lobby ban comes with confusion for some Harper-era staffers
Some former Harper-era cabinet staffers are asking for clarification on the enforcement of the federal Lobbying Act, the 2006 law that brought about a five-year lobbying ban for former public office holders, after ex-staffers got conflicting advice from the lobby commissioner’s office on the exact date on which the ban expires. The act, which was […]
Economic, industry concerns top-lobbied issues amid return to Parliament and second COVID wave
Lobbying returned to lower levels, in line with past years, in October—the first full month of regular parliamentary proceedings since the pandemic started—with economic development, industry, health, and the environment the focus of most government relations efforts. Innovation Minister Navdeep Bains (Mississauga-Malton, Ont.) and Economic Development Minister Mélanie Joly (Ahuntsic-Cartierville, Que.) were among the top-lobbied […]
Senate lobbying dips amid pandemic, but lobbyists say it’s a temporary blip
After an explosive uptick in lobbying at the Senate level during the last Parliament, advocacy has started to trend downward, a temporary blip, say lobbyists, with the pandemic diverting the two Chambers’ focus away from policy issues unrelated to the new coronavirus. Since January, the Senate has racked up some 468 communication reports, compared to […]
Three weeks to deadline, gridlocked Finance Committee’s pre-budget study in doubt
Locked in an impasse since the House of Commons’ return, the Finance Committee has yet to begin its pre-budget consultations and the clock is running out for it to submit a report with recommendations to Parliament. The Standing Orders dictate that the Finance Committee must table its report on the government’s budgetary policy no later […]
COVID-19 containment, economic recovery expected to drive fall lobbying
A return to Parliament means renewed lobbying efforts, and this fall session will likely see those efforts focused on trying to shape the Liberal government’s plans to contain COVID-19, push plans for economic recovery and the social programs that underpin them, and get progress on the Liberal climate change agenda. Sheamus Murphy, vice-president of federal […]
‘Diplomat’ Deltell’s promotion could lead to closer co-operation in Parliament as new Tory House team spotlights Quebec, party unity, say insiders
With new Conservative Leader Erin O’Toole having assembled his House leadership team and front bench, a former Conservative House leader says Gérard Deltell’s talents are finally being fully utilized as the new one, as the new team seeks to unite the party and look towards making gains in Quebec. A former House leader for the […]
