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

Summa Strategies announced a series of promotions this week, as well as the addition of Rob LeForte as a senior consultant. LeForte joined the firm after previously serving as a vice-president at Impact Public Affairs. Summa promotions announced this week include former vice-president Kate Harrison becoming Summa’s new vice-chair, and former vice-president Jim Armour becoming the firm’s managing partner.

The rollout of vaccinations and the possibility of a federal election this year means lobbyists should begin focusing more on long-term goals, as opposed to the short-term goals in 2020 intended to see organizations through the pandemic, according to John O’Leary, a senior consultant at Crestview Strategy. Elliot Hughes, a senior adviser at Summa Strategies, argued that this year’s federal budget will likely form the basis of a Liberal campaign platform if an election is called.

In our Ask the Lobby Monitor series, we took a look at how special exemptions are obtained from the five-year prohibition on lobbying for former designated public office holders, according to the Lobbying Act. Sharan Kaur, who previously worked for former Finance minister Bill Morneau in several roles including director of operations, was granted an exemption to the five-year lobbying ban on Nov. 10, 2020. Kaur is serving as a liaison between Morneau and officials from Global Affairs Canada (GAC) and the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) as Morneau vies for a top position with the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).

Jaskaran Singh Sandhu, a senior consultant at Crestview Strategy, said the announced retirement from politics of former Innovation minister Navdeep Bains this week was “no surprise.” Singh Sandhu said those familiar with Bains heard that the former minister “had an eye on exiting on his own terms.” A mini-cabinet shuffle was conducted on Jan. 12, with former Foreign Affairs minister François-Philippe Champagne sworn in as Innovation minister. Marc Garneau moved to Foreign Affairs from his cabinet post at Transport, and Mississauga Centre MP Omar Alghabra, who previously served as parliamentary secretary to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, has taken over at Transport.

The first two communication reports related to Morneau’s bid for the role of OECD secretary-general were posted to the federal lobbyists’ registry earlier this month. Kaur communicated with Brooke Malinoski, manager in the office of chief of staff Katie Telford at the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO), on Dec. 7, and with Kathleen Davis, the PMO’s senior foreign policy adviser, on Dec. 17. The most active organization last week, in terms of posted communication reports, was the International Vaccine Centre (InterVac), which posted 21 communication reports.

In new registrations, healthcare technology company Avricore Health started its first file on Jan. 11 with consultant Jon Dugal of Diplomat Consulting. The company is interested in speaking with the federal government about a possible contract related to its rapid COVID-19 detection and reporting technology. Dugal will communicate with the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO), Health, Transport, Public Safety Canada, and with Public Services and Procurement Canada.

Saskatchewan Mining and Minerals started its first file on the registry on Jan. 8 with Megz Reynolds, a Saskatchewan grain farmer, listed as a consultant. The organization is seeking federal government funding for the construction of a new sodium potash production facility, the registry shows. Reynolds will communicate with Innovation, Natural Resources Canada, Western Economic Diversification Canada, and the Business Development Bank of Canada.

TC Energy Corporation, an energy infrastructure company based in Alberta, increased its representation on the registry by adding consultant Alan Kenigsberg of Osler Hoskin & Harcourt LLP on Jan. 8. Kenigsberg joins colleague Gajan Sathananthan on the file. Also active on the file are consultants Tim Barber and Raphael Brass of Bluesky Strategy, and Francois Poirier, TC Energy’s president and CEO. The company is interested in speaking with the federal government about possible remissions of duties paid under the Customs Tariff, according to the file. Kenigsberg will communicate with Finance Canada.

New registry files

Based on a search of the federal lobbyists' registry on Jan. 15 at 9:05 a.m. ET

New registrations

Reactivations