Democracy Watch says it will launch legal action to force five-year review of Lobbying Act, four years overdue
Democracy Watch says it will file a Federal Court case soon to pressure the Liberal government to move forward with a review of the Lobbying Act, which is now four years overdue. “Reviews every five years are required in several federal laws. It sets a bad precedent to allow Parliament to ignore that law. Parliament doesn’t […]
Liberals’ fiscal blueprint reflects pre-budget lobbying push, but gaps remain, say business groups
Business groups spent the majority of their March advocacy efforts focused on the April budget, lobbying that they say was successful in getting immediate concerns addressed to extend pandemic reliefs, though gaps still remain. The “vast majority” of the Canadian Chamber of Commerce’s 24 meetings were focused on the budget to push for pandemic-relief measures […]
Pre-budget pitches, virtual ‘Hill days’ push February lobbying
The promise of the first federal budget in more than two years, planned legislation to address online hate, and pandemic-related health concerns drove the lobbying efforts in February of some of the busiest groups as Parliament returned for its first sitting of 2021. Last month, lobbyists filed 3,223 communication reports in the federal registry, a […]
January lobbying picks up from holiday slump
Lobbying activity rose slightly in January, with the holiday slump ebbing even as Parliament remained in recess and the usual legislative wrangling was more or less on hold. Last month, lobbyists filed 2,033 communication reports in the federal registry, an uptick of 8.6 per cent from the 1,872 filed in December. Activity was also up […]
Top 100 Lobbyists: Pandemic ushers in explosion of lobbying activity
The pandemic may have indefinitely suspended most in-person lobbying campaigns and social engagements, but lobbyists say they’re busier than they’ve ever been. While COVID-19 hasn’t changed the “fundamentals” of the business, for those at the top of their game, it’s driven home the need to be more attuned to the pressures facing the government, and […]
New quarantine measures won’t affect hotel industry’s bottom line, but may create more stress, say stakeholders
Hotel industry stakeholders say that Canada’s new quarantine measures for incoming air travellers aren’t likely to have too much of a financial benefit on business, but may put strain on an already strained industry. Introduced Jan. 29, the new rules state that all air passengers returning from non-essential trips abroad must quarantine within a government-chosen […]
Former innovation minister Bains was most-lobbied minister in 2020
As COVID-19 changed the course of history and the government’s agenda, former innovation minister Navdeep Bains emerged as the most-lobbied minister in 2020, taking the top spot from Agriculture Minister Marie-Claude Bibeau, who was the most sought-after minister in 2019, according to a Hill Times analysis of all monthly communication reports filed with the lobbying […]
The long-lasting impacts of lobbying during COVID
As we look back on a tumultuous year, simply put, lobbying has changed dramatically. Just as every industry and business had to adjust, the lobbyists who represent them showed the depth of their adaptability. The changes thrust upon us in such a short period of time created many challenges and gave us all a crash […]
The Canadian lobbying regime works as intended, but there’s always room for improvement
Canadians deserve to know who is communicating with their federal officials and expect that lobbying activities be conducted in an ethical manner. A global pandemic is no exception. Profoundly affected by change and uncertainty brought on by a global pandemic, businesses in various industry sectors, health and social services, individuals, and families alike, competed to […]
Canadians deserve good, ethical government
When government actions have served the interests of the powerful and well-connected insiders, Canadians are left with a very discouraging impression: that there is one set of rules for the government and another set of rules for the people they govern. During the pandemic, as Parliamentarians were working around the clock to get help to […]
