Here’s a look back at the news we covered this week:

Max Stern is a new consultant at Crestview Strategy within the firm’s strategic communications practice. A “significant portion” of his recent duties has involved helping clients craft messages related to their COVID-19 pandemic response, according to Stern. Consumers are interested in supporting companies that are doing their part to help during the pandemic, and how a company communicates its activities can have an impact on how people view its brand, he said. Stern previously worked at National Public Relations, most recently as a corporate affairs consultant.

Crisis communications services are in high demand amid the COVID-19 outbreak, and video messaging is emerging as a trend, according to Karen White, the associate vice-president at National Public Relations, and also the global crisis lead for Avenir Global. Speaking about the pandemic and its impacts on an organization can be a difficult subject, and many are choosing to communicate through video recordings over written statements because of the greater ability to convey emotion, she said. As an example, White cited Arne Sorenson, the president and CEO of Marriott International, who released a video on March 19 on the company’s Twitter account where he talked about the financial toll COVID-19 is having on the hotel chain.

Lobbyists should be prepared to reinvent their advocacy proposals almost daily to keep up with the pace of decision-makers who are responding to the COVID-19 crisis, according to Ginny Roth, the national practice lead for government relations at Crestview Strategy. The pandemic has forced governments to make decisions very quickly, and there are updates about the pandemic and its impacts every day. An advocacy proposal that isn’t palatable to the government one day may become appealing tomorrow, she said.

The David Suzuki Foundation was the most active group on the federal lobbyists’ registry based on communication reports posted between March 23 and March 29. The foundation filed 25 communication reports in that time frame, representing contact with government officials in February and March. Environment Minister Jonathan Wilkinson was contacted by the foundation on Feb. 3, and twice more on March 23 to discuss subjects including climate, the environment, infrastructure and the budget, according to the registry.

In new registrations, biotechnology company Microbix Biosystems started its first file on the federal lobbyists’ registry with consultant Jennifer Stewart of Syntax Strategic on April 1. The company is interested in talking to the federal government about the recently passed Bill C-13, the COVID-19 Emergency Response Act, although the file doesn’t elaborate on specific concerns. Stewart will communicate with the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) Health, Finance, Innovation, the National Research Council, and the Canadian Institutes of Health Research.

Also on April 1, a new file was started by the Mechanical Contractors Association of Ontario (MCAO) with consultant Matthew Henley of Wellington Dupont. The association represents about 350 mechanical contractors in its province. The association’s file indicates it would like to speak to the federal government about the impact Bill C-13 may have on industries, with the subject matters including taxation and finance, small business, and employment and training. Henley will communicate with the PMO, Finance, Employment and Social Development Canada, the Business Development Bank of Canada, as well as MPs.

Mobile app company Viral Me started its first file on March 30 with consultant Arthur Potts of Municipal Affairs Consulting. The company is seeking a federal grant to develop an app that would track people’s movements, register proximity interactions, and notify individuals who have come into contact with a person who has tested positive for COVID-19, according to its registry file. Potts will communicate with Health, Innovation, and with MPs.
 

New registry files
 

Based on a search of the federal lobbyists' registry on April 3 at 9:00 a.m.

New registrations

Reactivations