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

Organizations interested in discussing environmental issues made up almost a third of new registrations on the federal lobbyists’ registry in 2022, while economic development, industry, and health remained popular topics. There were 2,640 new registrations between Jan. 1, 2022, and Dec. 31, 2022, according to a search of the registry on Jan. 11, 2023. Of those, 1,415 were still active as of Dec. 31, 2022, and 1,058 were for organizations that had not appeared on the registry prior to last year. The Lobby Monitor has sorted through the registry to determine the subjects that new registrants wanted to discuss with federal officials.

The Canadian Chamber of Commerce says that the government’s hybrid return-to-office mandate for public servants is an important signal to the private sector that the country has moved to a new phase in pandemic-era industrial relations. Chamber president Perrin Beatty told The Lobby Monitor that the federal government’s industrial relations decisions have an impact on  employers outside downtown Ottawa. He said the model for the public service sends a message that the government has moved from a “stay home” idea to one indicating that Canadians “need to be prudent in anything we do, but it's time to get back to something that's much more normal.”

Syntax Strategic has become the latest firm to launch a dedicated health practice after the company found increased demand from clients for advocacy in the sector. Leading the practice is Marjolaine Provost, a former director of communications to Health Minister Jean-Yves Duclos. Dr. Katharine Smart, a past president of the Canadian Medical Association (CMA), will provide strategic guidance to the team. “So many procedures, so many innovations were delayed as a result of the pandemic, and now is the time to bring focus and attention to those issues and those topics,” said Jennifer Stewart, founder and CEO of Syntax.

The National Association of Friendship Centres (NAFC) posted 17 of the 283 communication reports posted to the federal lobbyists’ registry between Dec. 19, 2022, and Jan. 8, 2023. The national association represents more than 100 friendship centres, which are non-profit organizations that provide services to urban Indigenous communities. The NAFC is represented on the registry by consultant Isabel Metcalfe of Public Affairs Counsel. The association held an advocacy day on Dec. 8 during its “Friendship in Motion” Urban Indigenous Summit in Gatineau, Que. NAFC communicated on that day with Minister for Women Marci Ien; Andy Fillmore, parliamentary secretary to Innovation Minister François-Philippe Champagne; Conservative Northern affairs critic Bob Zimmer and defence critic James Bezan; NDP Crown-Indigenous relations critic Lori Idlout, and Blake Desjarlais, the party’s critic for youth, diversity and inclusion.

In new registrations, the Canadian Association for the Study of the Liver (CASL) has hired consultant Thomas Gendron of Impact Public Affairs, who registered on Jan. 11, to represent it in discussions with Health and the Public Health Agency of Canada. CASL seeks to eliminate liver disease through research, education, and advocacy. Members of the Edmonton-based organization include hepatologists, gastroenterologists, pathologists, pediatricians, radiologists, scientists, and surgeons. According to its registry file, CASL wants to improve awareness of liver diseases and the role of health care experts involved in liver health. The association will advocate for early screening and treatment of liver disease, and for more awareness of behaviours or products that can increase the risk of disease.

Also new to the registry is the Regroupement québécois des résidences pour aînés (RQRA), an association representing private retirement homes in Quebec. RQRA has hired Paradigme Stratégies consultant Marc Snyder, who registered on Jan. 6, to represent it in discussions with Employment and Social Development Canada. The association includes approximately 800 members, which own more than 100,000 rental units. According to its registry file, the RQRA wants to discuss the admissibility criteria for the federal government’s New Horizons for Seniors Program.

Returning to the registry after almost a decade is the Paramedic Chiefs of Canada (PCC), which has hired Summa Strategies consultants Meredith Logan and Kait LaForce to represent it in discussions with Public Safety, Health, MPs and senators. Paramedic Chiefs of Canada represents 325 paramedic chiefs, managers, and paramedics across the country. According to its registry file, the Summa consultants are helping the PCC organize an advocacy day.

New registry files

Based on a search of the federal lobbyists' registry on Jan. 13 at 9:16 a.m. ET

New registrations

Reactivations