Vancouver transit authority wants ‘several hundred million’ from feds to keep going
The CEO of Vancouver’s public transit authority is asking the federal government for a bailout of several hundred million dollars to offset losses from the COVID-19 shutdown. Kevin Desmond told The Hill Times that TransLink—which runs metro Vancouver’s public buses, trains, and commuter ferries—is on track to go into the red by roughly $500-million this […]
MPs claimed $230,000 in free travel from organizations, foreign governments in 2019
MPs accepted $230,000 worth of travel sponsored by outside groups and foreign governments in 2019, halving the value of free trips MPs have accepted in recent years. With a breakneck end to the session in June, MPs stopped taking sponsored travel and continued in that vein over the course of the summer as they switched […]
Newspaper industry must ‘speak with one voice,’ say publishers pushing feds to ‘level the playing field’
As the Canadian newspaper industry continues to feel the crunch from lost advertising revenues as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic and the associated economic downturn, publishers of Canada’s major newspapers came together in a rare demonstration of coordination to deliver a dire message to the federal government earlier this month. Titled “An urgent message […]
‘Pandemic bump’ pushes March lobbying up 60 per cent over last year
The flood of influencers contacting officials in March increased communication by almost 60 per cent compared to the year before, part of what lobbyists describe as a “pandemic bump” in activity they expect to be the new normal as industry, associations, and governments respond to the impacts of COVID-19. Lobbyists filed 2,329 communication reports in […]
Feds need to step up support for airports as it copes with revenue shortfalls
The travel bans and precautionary measures that governments have in place are designed to help to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 and form part of a global effort to flatten the curve and to prevent further outbreaks from overwhelming hospitals. A pressing concern for many airports, along with others in the global and Canadian aviation […]
Feds should halt tax hike for Canadian brewers amid pandemic
As many Canadian beer makers are pivoting to produce supplies and support Canada’s fight against COVID-19, they are now looking to government for relief. The United States and Germany have allowed brewers to delay monthly excise duty payments, while the United Kingdom has paused planned excise duty increases. Canada’s federal government can do the same […]
Lobbyists clamour to get voices heard on COVID-19
Lobbying groups lining up to influence federal decisions on Canada’s COVID-19 response are vying to ensure that their sector’s concerns are reflected, with some warning that they may fall through the cracks even as they say Ottawa has made time for consultations. Beyond particularly hard-hit industries such as the airline and tourism sectors, there are […]
Federal lobbyists registry sees crop of new COVID-19 filings, as groups grapple with pandemic
Since mid-March, more than 35 organizations have updated their federal lobbying filings, signalling plans to have a say in the government’s evolving coronavirus response, with some offering help and others urging action as the crisis threatens to devastate companies and industries. There have been 57 new or updated filings added to the federal registry that […]
COVID-19 is forcing lobbyists to significantly shift their strategies
As the federal government ramps up its effort to control the pace of the coronavirus pandemic and stabilize the teetering economy, lobbyists say much of their focus has either pivoted to responding to the immediacy of the crisis, or giving officials the breathing room they need. “I just don’t think there is lobbying during the […]
Lobby with health, economic proposals in mind amid COVID-19 outbreak, say consultants
As the government plans to deal with the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, lobbyists are advising their clients to retool their advocacy proposals to respond to the issues related to health care, economic stimulation, and job creation, according to consultants from Crestview Strategy. “This is an unprecedented opportunity for public-private partnerships as the government craves […]
