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

Ex political-staffers-turned lobbyists remain unsure of the impact the recent French and English-language debates  will have on a tight election race. “It’s always better to have a good night, because you can ride that momentum to the end of the campaign,” said Brad Lavigne, a partner and vice-president at Counsel Public Affairs. “When you have a bad night, it’s very hard to turn it around in the last 10 days of the campaign.”

Prior to the start of the campaign, Liberal François-Philipe Champagne was the politician lobbyists reached out to the most during the most recent session of parliament. Most recently the Liberal government’s innovation minister, Champagne was named in 189 filed communication reports. The Lobby Monitor collated the MPs and senators that lobbyists communicated with between the reading of the federal Liberals’ throne speech on Sept. 20, 2020, and the dissolution of Parliament on Aug. 15, 2021. The list is part of a four-part series The Lobby Monitor is releasing each Wednesday.

In more recently filed communications, the Association of Canadian Port Authorities filed 16 of the 56 reports logged last week. Represented on the registry by its president, Wendy Zatylny, the association represents the country’s 17 port authorities. Zatylny communicated on June 8 with Marie-France Lalonde, who was then parliamentary secretary to the economic development minister; Agriculture deputy minister Chris Forbes; Conservative transport critic Stephanie Kusie, who was the Conservative transport critic; and Vance Badawey, then the Liberal chair of the House transport committee.

In new registrations, the Resilient Healthcare Coalition (RHC) started its first file on Aug. 26 with Ian Chesney of Santis Health. According to its file, the coalition is interested in discussing improvements to the health care system, including “faster access to health care innovation and technology, as well as better access to data and data sharing to help monitor health outcomes.” Chesney will communicate with the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO), the Privy Council Office (PCO), Health, Finance, and Innovation.

Also in health registrations, the Canadian Association of Midwives (CAM) recently returned to the registry after a three-year absence. Consultant Kyle Larkin of Impact Public Affairs became active for the association on Aug. 30, which is advocating that midwives gain access to Canada’s student loan forgiveness program. Larkin will communicate with the PMO, Health, Global Affairs, Indigenous Services, Crown-Indigenous Relations, and Rural Economic Development, as well as with MPs and senators.

Increasing its presence on the Hill is the Great Canadian Railtour Company, which added Andrea Beltran of Global Public Affairs on Sept. 7. Beltran joins colleagues Philip Cartwright, Curtis O’Nyon and Hunter Doubt on the file, as well as Peter Armstrong, the company’s president. The company, which operates Rocky Mountaineer rail tours through British Columbia and Alberta, is interested in discussing COVID-19 policies related to border management and the recovery of the tourism sector, according to its file. Beltran will communicate with the PMO, PCO, Transport, Finance, Health, Innovation, and Western Economic Diversification Canada, as well as with MPs.

New registry files

Based on a search of the federal lobbyists' registry on Sept. 9 at 9:22 a.m. ET

New registrations

Reactivations