Independent Senators still most likely to vote with government, but less and less
Independent Senators, who make up the largest group in the Red Chamber, are the collective most likely to vote in step with the Liberal government, but as time passes and more of their ilk get added, that cooperation is decreasing. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau can still count the most on the Independents he appointed to […]
Trade ministers topped lobbying list last month during height of tariff spat
U.S. tariff threats and Canada’s response made then-Trade minister François-Philippe Champagne and Foreign Affairs Minister Chrystia Freeland most in-demand among lobbyists in June as many sought to position themselves ahead of Canada’s response to American steel and aluminum tariffs, and the “spectre” of an automobile tariff, according to the lobbyists registry on monthly communications for […]
Pot industry urges feds to hold off on plan to recover regulatory costs
Marijuana producers are scrambling to convince Ottawa to hit pause on its proposal to introduce a fee to recover costs associated with the legalization of recreational pot, a move that they say should be delayed until the ban has been lifted for some time. The federal government first floated the idea of setting up a […]
Canada’s lobbying office turns 10, ex-Conservative MP running for mayor
“I believe I’ve not met the 20 per cent threshold to give me the credibility to talk about the history of the office.” That was the opening zinger from Lobbying Commissioner Nancy Bélanger during her speech at a celebration marking the 10-year anniversary of her office. If Facebook hadn’t gotten into trouble over its absence […]
A dozen MPs won’t run again in 2019, starting ‘snowball effect’ with more to come, say insiders
NDP MPs David Christopherson, Hélène Laverdière, and Conservative MP Bev Shipley all announced in the last week they will not seek re-election in 2019, adding to a list that has now reached a dozen, and political insiders expect this is the start of a “snowball effect” of MPs calling it quits in the months to […]
A government reboot is in the cards this summer
OTTAWA—Is Justin Trudeau’s government in need of a reboot? Summer speculative stories are coming fast and furious about a possible cabinet shuffle, the potential retirement of long-standing Liberal Parliamentarians, and a 2019 pre-election season, which will kick up a notch in the fall. As the introduction to the never-ending soap opera Days of Our Lives […]
Departments dodging MP query on Facebook meetings, say critics
Some departments are “dodging” an MP’s question on government meetings with Facebook, revealing loopholes in the Lobbying Act that opposition critics say need fixing. Last month, in response to an Order Paper query about their meetings with Facebook, about half of the 50-plus government departments and agencies surveyed didn’t answer and instead deferred to the federal […]
Trans Mountain, capital flight and bank law put Finance Minister Bill Morneau atop the May lobbying list
Finance Minister Bill Morneau was the most lobbied cabinet minister in May, and lobbyists say his move up the list may have something to do with the government’s decision to buy the Trans Mountain Pipeline. Lobbyists communicated with designated public office holders 2,538 times in May. Mr. Morneau (Toronto Centre, Ont) was lobbied 22 times in […]
‘Extraordinary’ Canada-U.S. trade spat brings lobbyists ‘out of the woodwork’
The growing trade war between Canada and the United States prompted almost three-dozen new filings in the federal lobbyist registry over the last two months as Canada plotted its response to U.S.-imposed steel and aluminum tariffs. Even with Canada’s retaliatory tariffs kicking in July 1, lobbyists are predicting the uptick will continue in Ottawa as […]
Natural Resources Minister Carr promotes new comms director
Amid a string of recent ministerial communications staff changes, Natural Resources Minister Jim Carr has promoted his press secretary, Alexandre Deslongchamps, to take over as director of communications in his office. Until recently, Laurel Munroe had been communications director to Mr. Carr since February 2016; she’s now left the minister’s office. Ms. Munroe had been […]
