Here’s a rundown of the news we covered this week:

Stakeholders should quickly move to advocate their ideas for how the federal government should spend its $100-billion stimulus package after the COVID-19 pandemic, according to Elliot Hughes, a senior government relations adviser at Summa Strategies. Hughes also raised concern that public office holders will more firmly make up their minds as the release of the budget approaches, and wondered if a “general fatigue” because of COVID-19 may also impact how they interact with stakeholders. Details of the $100-billion stimulus spending are expected to be released in the lead-up to the 2021 budget. Jackie Choquette, vice-president at Crestview Strategy, said that stakeholders should be engaging on stimulus spending now, because it may be too late by the time all the details are out.

The Office of the Commissioner of Lobbying released a list of 11 preliminary recommendations for amendments to the Lobbying Act and its regulations on Feb. 23. Lobbying Commissioner Nancy Bélanger called for the removal of the “significant part of duties” registration threshold for lobbyists, which allows organizations to avoid registering if the collected lobbying activities of individuals do not constitute what would be 20 per cent or more of the duties of a single, full-time employee. The list also recommends that all oral communications with designated public office holders (DPOHs) should be reported, regardless of the subject matter discussed or who initiates the exchange.

Andrew Walker, a tenor with Grammy- and Juno-nominated chamber choir The Elora Singers, joined Global Public Affairs as a consultant within the firm’s cultural industries practice. Walker said that joining Global is a “match made in heaven” for him because of his background as a musical performer, and his belief in the role of the arts and culture sector in Canada. He previously participated in the non-partisan Parliamentary Internship Programme, and worked in the offices of Liberal MP Andy Fillmore and Conservative MP Blake Richards.

General trade union Unifor posted 71 communication reports last week, of which 59 were for communications that occurred between Jan. 25 and Jan. 29. Posts from Unifor’s Twitter account indicate the trade union’s representatives were communicating with designated public office holders (DPOH) during that time to advocate that the federal government develop a national recovery plan for Canada’s aviation industry in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Alberta Milk, the non-profit organization representing the province’s dairy producers, followed with 40 communication reports posted last week. The organization held its annual advocacy day on Feb. 9, and discussed supply management with designated public office holders.

In new registrations, Staples Canada started a file on Feb. 17 with consultants Andrew Steele and Chris Andreou of StrategyCorp. The office supply chain is interested in discussing taxation relief for teachers, early childhood educators and other employees to support the transition to working from home in the wake of COVID-19, the registry shows. Steele and Andreou will communicate with the Prime Minister’s Office, the Canada Revenue Agency, Finance, and the Intergovernmental Affairs Secretariat.

Inuvialuit Petroleum Corporation started its first file on Feb. 16 with consultant Melissa Pasi of Hill+Knowlton Strategies Canada. The corporation would like to discuss a project to construct a gas plant in the Northwest Territories that will convert natural gas into liquefied natural gas and synthetic diesel. Pasi will communicate with the PMO, Public Safety Canada, Natural Resources, Indigenous Services, Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs, and with MPs.

Palitronica, a cybersecurity provider in Ontario, started its first file on Feb. 18 with consultant John Turnbull of CFN Consultants. Turnbull’s colleague, Peter Studer, was added on Feb. 2019, followed by Eric Fresque on Feb. 22, and Andre Deschamps and John Madower on Feb. 23. The company is interested in discussing its participation in National Defence’s Innovation for Defence Excellence and Security program, the registry shows. The $1.6 billion program is intended to support innovations related to defence and security over the next 20 years. The CFN consultants will communicate with National Defence, Public Services and Procurement Canada, and Innovation.

New registry files

Based on a search of the federal lobbyists' registry on Feb. 26 at 10:45 a.m. ET

New registrations

Reactivations