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

The Conservatives’ election platform’s focus on ethics and lobbying is a tactic opposition parties have used in successful bids to win government, say academics, but its effectiveness during a pandemic remains to be seen. “It’s hard to convince the voter that the ethics record is the primary issue when so many people are out of work and hanging by a thread on a personal level,” said Ian Stedman, a lawyer and assistant professor at York University’s School of Public Policy and Administration. If the Conservatives form government after the Sept. 20 election, Stedman said those policies could be implemented even if the party has a minority, but enforcement of the new rules may be easier said than done. 

Moderna Therapeutics, Nasdaq Inc. and the Toronto International Film Festival were among those that made their debut on the federal lobbyists’ registry during the last parliamentary session. The Lobby Monitor dug into the lobbyists' registry to pull together this list of organizations that were new to the registry between Sept. 23, 2020, and Aug. 15,. The list is part of a four-part series The Lobby Monitor is releasing each Wednesday.

Agricultural groups hope the public’s focus on food supply chain problems during the pandemic will translate to a focus on the sector’s priorities at the ballot box. Mary Robinson, the Canadian Federation of Agriculture’s president, said the industry always hoped for a greater focus on agricultural priorities at election time, but grocery prices and empty shelves had made voters more aware of the fragility of food supply. “I think agriculture in Canada has a pretty good rep, people generally hold Canadian producers in fairly high regard,” she said. “We always want to have a higher profile, absolutely we do, because we see us as kind of the last kid being picked for the soccer or baseball team saying ‘pick me, pick me!’”

In new registrations, the Canadian office of Diageo started its first files on Aug. 26 with Marie Lemieux and Steve Van Groningen of Public Affairs Advisors. The U.K.-based owner of alcohol brands Guinness, Smirnoff, Johnnie Walker, and Crown Royal plans to discuss industry measures to reduce harmful drinking. Lemieux and Van Groningen will communicate with the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO), Global Affairs, Health, Finance, and Environment, and with MPs.

In not-for-profit registrations, SOS Children’s Villages Canada started its first file with Thomas Bauer, its president and CEO, on July 31. The charity is interested in securing federal contributions towards the delivery of international development and humanitarian assistance programs. Bauer will communicate with Global Affairs and Finance, as well as MPs and senators.

Returning to the registry under a new name is the Atlantic Groundfish Council, which started a new file on Aug. 30 with Tiéoulé Traoré of National Public Relations. Previously registered as the Groundfish Enterprise Allocation Council with Mathew Klie-Cribb of National Public Relations between June 1, 2015 and June 2, 2016, and his colleague Gregory Kolz between Nov. 30, 2015, and May 19, 2016, the industry association is interested in introductory meetings to discuss ways the federal government can support northern cod fishing. (Klie-Cribb currently works as a policy analyst at Natural Resources Canada, while Kolz is director of government relations at the Railway Association of Canada.) Traoré will communicate with the PMO and the Privy Council Office.

New registry files

Based on a search of the federal lobbyists' registry on Sept. 3 at 9:02 a.m. ET

New registrations

Reactivations

The Lobby Monitor will not publish on Mon. Sept. 6, due to the Labour Day public holiday, but will return to its regular publishing schedule on Tues. Sept. 7. Have a great and safe weekend!