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

The Canadian Federation of Nurses Unions (CFNU) is taking a new approach with an advocacy campaign that president Linda Silas says will be more “bold” than anything the organization has pursued in the past. The pre-budget push calls on the federal government to step up work on health human resources issues. “Nurses are mad, they’re fed up, and they’re very worried [about] what’s going to happen if the federal government doesn’t step in,” said Silas, describing the campaign as “really elevating the temperature towards the next federal budget.”

Stevie O’Brien has taken on dual roles at McMillan Vantage Policy Group and McMillan LLP. O’Brien joined the companies on Jan. 9, after having served as chief of staff to former public service and procurement ministers Filomena Tassi and Anita Anand. She is working as a senior adviser at Vantage, and as counsel at McMillan LLP. “Instead of just going back to a law firm or just going into a GR firm, having this ability to be in both worlds is really appealing,” she said.

Colleges and Institutes Canada (CICan) was the most active organization in December in terms of communication reports posted to the federal lobbyists’ registry.  The association of colleges, institutes of technology, cégeps, polytechnics and universities with college mandates filed 37 of the 2,080 reports posted to the registry for communications that took place last month. That total figure is the highest for any December since at least 2008, which is as far back as records are publicly available on the Office of the Commissioner of Lobbying’s website.

In more recent reports, the Federation of Canadian Municipalities posted 35 of the 666 communication reports submitted to the registry last week. Most of the federation’s reports were for communications on Dec. 6 and Dec. 7, when municipal leaders held advocacy days in Ottawa. FCM communicated with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Intergovernmental Affairs Minister Dominic LeBlanc, Housing Minister Ahmed Hussen, Treasury Board President Mona Fortier, Tourism Minister Randy Boissonnault, Rural Economic Development Minister Gudie Hutchings, and Crown-Indigenous Relations Minister Marc Miller.

In new registrations, the National Index on Agri-Food Performance started its first file on Jan. 12 with co-ordinator David McInnes, who plans to communicate with 14 government institutions, including Agriculture, Innovation, Health, Global Affairs, and Environment. The index is intended to create an integrated image of the entire agri-food sector, from food production to retail. According to its registry file, the National Index on Agri-Food Performance will “demonstrate the sustainability progress of the country's agriculture and food sector.” Partners and contributors to the project include the Canadian Federation of Agriculture, Fisheries Council of Canada, Canadian Produce Marketing Association, and the provincial agriculture departments of Manitoba and Alberta.

Also new to the registry is Sio Silica, a Calgary, Alta.-based silica sand producer. The company has hired Summa Strategies consultants Faria Amin and Robin MacLachlan, who registered on Jan. 9, to represent it in discussions with the Prime Minister’s Office, Privy Council Office, Finance, Natural Resources, Environment, Employment, Global Affairs, and Prairies Economic Development Canada, as well as with MPs and senators. Sio Silica plans to extract and process silica sand at a new facility outside Vivian, Man., which is located about 50 kilometres east of Winnipeg. The company wants to raise awareness of that project among parliamentarians and bureaucrats, according to its registry file. It also plans to lobby federal officials developing the government’s critical minerals strategy on the importance of silica to the manufacturing of items such as solar panels, computer chips, and batteries.

Fondation Sunny has also made its debut on the registry recently. The Shawinigan, Que.-based group organizes youth volunteer work in seniors’ residences. The foundation has hired Paradigme Stratégies consultants Thomas Faustin and Marc Snyder, who registered on Jan. 16 and Jan. 18, to represent it in discussions with Employment and Social Development. Its French-language registry file states that Fondation Sunny is seeking federal funding for its expansion and development.

New registry files

Based on a search of the federal lobbyists' registry on Jan. 20 at 9:05 a.m. ET

New registrations

Reactivations