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

Olivia Dixon, formerly an administrative assistant in the office of British Columbia New Democratic Party Premier John Horgan, has joined the B.C. office of Earnscliffe Strategy as a consultant. Dixon said she is passionate about “JEDI,” or justice, equity, diversity and inclusion, and joined Earnscliffe because the firm is “on the right path” in that respect. Dixon is also a former co-chair of the B.C. chapter of Equal Voice, an organization that supports the involvement of women in political roles.

Jonathan Kalles, a former Quebec regional adviser in the Prime Minister’s Office, joined McMillan Vantage Policy Group in January as a senior consultant. He also has a secondary role as counsel for McMillan LLP, a business and corporate law firm affiliated with McMillan Vantage. Kalles brings to the firm a deep understanding of Quebec, as a former senior adviser for Quebec in the office of two former ministers of Canadian Heritage: Mélanie Joly, now Minister of Economic Development, and Pablo Rodriguez, government leader in the House.

The federal ethics office received the highest volume of requests for advice from MPs and public office holders in 2020 between October and December, according to the office’s latest quarterly statistics report. The report, released on Feb. 1, shows the ethics office received a combined total of 823 requests for advice on any subject in the last three months of the year. The most common subject of advice requests related to “material changes,” or any change of assets or a position with an organization that could affect a POH’s obligations under the Conflict of Interest Act.

The Canadian Horticultural Council (CHC) contributed nine of the 106 communication reports posted last week on the federal lobbyists’ registry. The organization, which represents more than 14,200 fruit and vegetable farms in Canada, filed reports that showed communication with seven MPs last month, including a communication with Liberal MP and finance committee chair Wayne Easter on Jan. 29. The discussions in January focused on a request for more federal funding to support crop protection products and pest management strategies.

In new registrations, Duvaltex, a textile company headquartered in Quebec, started its first file on Jan. 26 with consultant Marc Desmarais of National Public Relations. The company would like to discuss personal protective equipment opportunities with the federal government, according to the registry. Duvaltex PPE products include medical gowns, scrubs and face masks. Desmarais will communicate with the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO), Innovation, Health, Public Services and Procurement Canada, and with MPs.

Software company BookJane started its first file on Jan. 29 with consultant Goran Samuel Pesic of Samuel Associates. The company is requesting federal funding to deploy a software platform for the healthcare industry that is intended to allow healthcare workers to view and accept open shifts. Pesic will communicate with the PMO, Health, Veterans Affairs, Indigenous Services, Public Services and Procurement Canada, and MPs.

The Canadian Association of Exposition Management (CAEM) increased its representation on the Hill by adding consultant Catherine Kavanagh of Crestview Strategy on Jan. 29. Kavanagh joins colleague Jason Clark on the file. CAEM is interested in discussing possible financial support from the federal government to support the business sector encompassing trade and consumer shows, according to the registry file. The Crestview consultants will communicate with the PMO, Finance, Heritage Western Economic Diversification Canada, Women and Gender Equality, and Employment and Social Development Canada.

New registry files

Based on a search of the federal lobbyists' registry on Feb. 5 at 9:05 a.m. ET

New registrations

Reactivations