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

We profiled Bea Bruske, the new president of the Canadian Labour Congress (CLC), who told us that “time is of the essence” to advocate on issues including pharmacare and child care, with a possible federal election coming later this year. Bruske was elected on June 18, taking over the mantle from retiring CLC president Hassan Yussuff, who was appointed to the Senate by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on June 22. The CLC is a long-time supporter of national pharmacare, which would help manage the cost of prescription drugs. Bruske previously served for 27 years in various roles as an employee of United Food and Commercial Workers Union Local 832 in Manitoba.

The Canadian Vaping Association (CVA), which represents more than 200 retail and online vaping businesses in Canada, led in federal lobbying in May with 126 communication reports filed. The organization also led the pack in April with 258 communication reports. The CVA is focusing their energy on advocating that the federal government not implement a ban on flavoured vaping products. The government published their proposed regulations in the Canada Gazette, Part I, on June 19. Darryl Tempest, the CVA’s executive director, said he expects this heavy lobbying from the organization to continue for as long as the federal government is considering a flavour ban.

The CVA’s high level of engagement with the federal government was also demonstrated by its filing the most communication reports last week as compared to other groups. The organization contributed 68 out of 1,986 total communication reports posted between June 14 and June 20. The CVA’s reports showed communication with 69 MPs on May 21, including communication with Innovation Minister François-Philippe Champagne, Minister of Agriculture Marie-Claude Bibeau and Minister of Economic Development Mélanie Joly.

The video game industry was successful in lobbying that it not be subject to Bill C-10, according to an examination of the stakeholders communicating with the federal government about the bill. The bill is the first revision of the Broadcasting Act in three decades. Jayson Hilchie, the president and CEO of the Entertainment Software Association of Canada, said he was surprised to find the video game industry originally listed in the bill, since they are not regulated by the CRTC. Canadian Heritage Minister Steven Guilbeault agreed to remove the video game industry from the legislation, following lobbying efforts by the association. Bill C-10 passed third reading in the House on June 21, and reached second reading in the Senate on June 23.

In new registrations, the Canadian Society of Nutrition Management (CSNM) started its first registry file on June 21 with consultants Donald Gracey, Nancy Coldham and Paola Cetares of CG Group. The organization is advocating that national standards for long-term care homes include a requirement for the employment of nutrition managers, the registry shows. National standards for long-term care are currently being co-developed by the Health Standards Organization, the Standards Council of Canada and the Canadian Standards Association. The CG Group consultants will communicate with Finance, Health and the Intergovernmental Affairs Secretariat.

Sobeys, a food retailer with more than 1,500 stores across Canada, started its first file on the registry on June 22 with consultant Tiéoulé Traoré of National Public Relations. The company is interested in discussing issues pertaining to the retail food sector, including sustainability, and the dynamics between retailers and food producers and processors, the registry shows. Traoré will communicate with the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO), the Privy Council Office, Innovation, Environment, Agriculture, and with MPs.

Switch Health Holdings, a health care company based in Toronto, started its first file on June 13 with Andrew House, a partner at law firm Fasken. The company has developed rapid COVID-19 testing kits and established health clinics for COVID-19 lab tests, and is interested in discussing its technology with the federal government, in relation to facilitating cross-border travel, according to the file. House will communicate with Immigration, Health, the Canada Border Services Agency and with the Public Health Agency of Canada.
 

New registry files

Based on a search of the federal lobbyists' registry on June 25 at 10:00 a.m. ET

New registrations

Reactivations