Here’s the news we covered this week:

The Lobby Monitor spoke with multiple lobbyists and former political staffers to better understand the strategy behind the federal Conservatives recent comments on corporate lobbying. Crestview Strategy’s Ashton Arsenault told The Lobby Monitor that comments such as those by Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre are a “clear public signal” to advocacy groups that they will need to have a different approach for the Conservatives. “I actually don't view it as terribly surprising and if you've been following along, it's actually a part of a building narrative,” said Arsenault, vice-president at Crestview and a former Conservative staffer. “While there are trinkets of new information each time that [Poilievre] speaks, the overall narrative is the same.”

Some of those negative comments from the Conservatives were directed at Beer Canada. More specifically, the Conservatives took issue with the organization’s approach to lobbying against this year’s scheduled increase to the excise tax rate for alcohol. The organization’s president, CJ Hélie, spoke to The Lobby Monitor about his reaction to the opposition MPs’ comments and weighed in on the federal government’s recent decision to implement a two-year cap on the tax rate.

In February’s communication reports, Environmental Defence Canada (EDC) was the most active advocacy group with 43 out of a total of 4,044 communication reports submitted to the federal lobbyists’ registry. The organization, which advocates on climate change and environmental issues, is represented by its executive director Tim Gray. Its advocacy efforts focused on a number of environmental issues such as the need to address plastic pollution, advocating for a strong oil and gas emissions cap, and endorsing the Sustainable Jobs Act, according to Ashley Wallis, EDC's associate director.

EDC was also the most active group in this week’s communications, submitting the highest number of reports out of a total of 2,500 filed communications. The group’s lobbying targeted parliamentarians including Liberal MPs Ryan Turnbull (who is the parliamentary secretary to Innovation Minister François-Philippe Champagne), Patrick Weiler, and Francis Scarpaleggia. EDC also communicated with opposition MPs including Bloc Québécois MPs Gabriel Ste-Marie, finance critic, and Jean-Denis Garon, national revenue critic; and NDP environment critic Laurel Collins.

In this week’s registrations, Sapphire Springs is joining the federal lobbyists' registry for the first time as it seeks federal government support for its business activities. The company is represented by Bruce Hartley of Prospectus Associates. Hartley will engage officials to secure federal support for research, development and expansion of the company’s sustainable Arctic Char production.

Also joining the registry for the first time is Antora Energy, which is represented by Jason Evans of Sussex Strategy. Discussion will focus on amending the feds’ clean economy investment tax credits to include thermal energy storage as an applicable technology. California-based Antora Energy uses “heat-to-power” thermophotovoltaic technology to power industrial facilities.

In new registrations, Canada Fortescue Future Industries Ltd. is fortifying its lobbying presence with the registration of Stephen Appleton, its manager for Canada. Discussions will focus on potential grants and financing from multiple government programs including the Clean Fuels Fund, the Strategic Innovation Fund, and the Canada Growth Fund.

New Registry

Based on a search of the federal lobbyists' registry on Mar. 22, at 9:00 a.m. E.T.

New Registration

Reactivation