Here’s the news we covered this week:

The tabling of the 2023 budget on March 28 unveiled billions for dental care, tax rebates to address affordability issues, and financial incentives for clean energy and technology development. The document focused on four areas: inflation relief, health care spending, economic investment, and measures to address the federal debt and deficit. It also projects a budget deficit of $40.1 billion in 2023-24, up from the $30.6 billion projected in the 2022 fall economic statement.

The budget’s target areas indicate that affordability is a key consideration for the government, according to Daniel Perry, a consultant at Summa Strategies. “What this budget tells us as we prepare for the next big thing, which is the fall economic statement, is that we need to really focus on and advise our clients that no matter what your issue is, you need to connect it back to this continuing question of affordability,” Perry said. Don Moors, president of Temple Scott Associates, said the narrow spending on a handful of priority areas shows the government is not readying itself for an election just yet. “For all intents and purposes, I think the Liberals knew that this budget wasn't going to be a pre-election budget,” he said. “I think this budget is able to make investments or policy announcements that may only play out years down the road.”

Newly-appointed interim Ethics Commissioner Martine Richard has had a screen in place to avoid conflicts of interest due to her family ties to Dominic LeBlanc since she first joined the office a decade ago. A spokesperson for the Office of the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner told The Lobby Monitor that a screen for matters involving the intergovernmental affairs minister, who is Richard’s brother-in-law, has been in place for Richard since she joined the office in 2013. The office announced on March 28 that Richard will serve as commissioner on an interim basis for six months, effective March 27, while the search for a permanent successor to Mario Dion takes place. Richard joined the office in 2013 as general counsel, and has been senior counsel since 2015.

A private member’s bill that would make Canada’s supply-management system off-limits in future trade negotiations has been endorsed by producers who work within that system, but some other agricultural groups worry about the bill’s impact on Canada’s trade competitiveness.

The Saskatchewan Milk Marketing Board (SaskMilk) posted 22 of the 139 communication reports submitted to the federal lobbyists’ registry last week. All of SaskMilk’s reports were for communications that took place on March 21, as part of the Dairy Farmers of Canada’s lobby day with provincial milk boards in Ottawa. SaskMilk was represented in those communications by chair Matthew Flaman, vice-chair Gordon Ell, second vice-chair Albert Leyenhorst, and board members Blaine McLeod and Anthony Nienhuis. McLeod also sits on the DFC board of directors, representing Saskatchewan. SaskMilk communicated with Intergovernmental Affairs Minister Dominic LeBlanc. The organization also communicated with nine Conservative MPs who represent Saskatchewan ridings.

In new registrations, Capital Sports Development Inc. (CSDI) has hired Crestview Strategy consultants Muhammad Ali and Stefano Hollands to represent it in discussions with the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO), Public Services, the National Capital Commission, and MPs. CSDI is affiliated with Capital Sports & Entertainment Inc., which owns the Ottawa Senators hockey club, and Capital Sports Properties Inc., which owns and operates the Canadian Tire Centre in the Ottawa suburb of Kanata, which is the Senators’ current home arena. According to its registry file, CSDI plans to discuss the development of “a world-class mixed-use development at LeBreton Flats in Ottawa,” which would include a new home arena for the Senators.

Poetry in Voice (PIV) is also new to the registry. The organization provides English- and French-language classroom teaching resources about poetry. PIV started its first file on March 27 with consultants Angelo Bakoulas and Susan Smith of Bluesky Strategy Group. According to its registry file, the organization wants to promote its national competition, and will seek funding to support the growth of its programs and events. In addition to those two institutions, Bakoulas and Smith plan to communicate with the PMO, Privy Council Office, Finance, Employment, and Economic Development and Official Languages, as well as with MPs and senators.

Returning to the registry is First Nations University of Canada (FNUniv), which has hired Earnscliffe Strategies consultants James Miley and Bailey Stafford to represent it in discussions with Indigenous Services, Infrastructure, and Prairies Economic Development Canada. Miley registered on March 20, and Stafford registered on March 29. FNUniv has campuses in the Saskatchewan cities of Regina, Saskatoon, and Prince Albert. The registry file states that it wants to discuss funding for the construction of a new Prince Albert campus through Infrastructure Canada’s Green and Inclusive Community Buildings program.

New registry files

Based on a search of the federal lobbyists' registry on March 31 at 9:09 a.m. ET.

New registrations

Reactivations