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

Both industry associations and unions have welcomed a national supply chain task force’s report highlighting labour problems in the sector, but plan to continue lobbying the federal government with their own recommendations for improvement. Teamsters Canada welcomed the report’s recommendations for labour shortages but is concerned about its language surrounding strikes. The Canadian Trucking Alliance, meanwhile, welcomed the report, and is also seeking an end to a practice known as “Driver Inc,” in which a company will tell its truck driver employees to register as a corporation.

Senate Speaker George Furey has found there was no obvious breach of the upper chamber’s privileges when two Liberal MPs sent a letter to the federal lobbying commissioner about a Senate communications committee witness. The witness in question is Scott Benzie, executive director of Digital First Canada, and the matter relates to a letter sent by MPs Chris Bittle, parliamentary secretary to the heritage minister, and Lisa Hepfner, who sits on the House heritage committee, regarding the disclosure of sponsorship funding for Benzie’s organization from two tech companies. Furey had been asked to determine whether that letter and the timing of its release affected the Senate’s privilege in hearing from witnesses in committees. For his part, Benzie told the Senate communications committee on Sept. 28 that he received an email from the commissioner’s office stating that, for the purposes of the Lobbying Act, Digital First Canada was only required to disclose government funding, rather than private funding. 

Counsel Public Affairs has announced a multi-year succession plan that will see current partners Brad Lavigne and Sheamus Murphy gradually replace the firm’s current leaders.  “We've experienced unprecedented growth, and planning for the long term was a natural next step,” Lavigne said. “Smart companies plan for the future, and this is an example of that.”

Nature Canada submitted 18 of the 210 communication reports posted to the federal lobbyists’ registry last week. The network of approximately 1,200 Canadian nature organizations is represented on the registry by executive director Graham Saul. The organization communicated with Julie Dabrusin, parliamentary secretary to the environment minister and to the natural resources minister, on May 31; Terry Duguid, who is also parliamentary secretary to the environment minister, on Aug. 11; NDP environment critic Laurel Collins on May 18 and Sept. 16; and Green MPs Elizabeth May and Mike Morrice on May 5. Nature Canada’s recent advocacy efforts focused on Bill S-5, which is the government’s planned modernization of the Canadian Environmental Protection Act; emissions in the forestry industry; and Canada’s commitments to preventing biodiversity loss ahead of the COP15 biodiversity conference in Montreal, Que. in December. 

In new registrations, the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China (Canada) has hired Bluesky Strategy Group consultant Neil Brodie, who registered on Oct. 12, to represent it in discussions with Finance and Global Affairs. Also known as ICBC or ICBK, the Beijing-based, state-owned bank is the world’s largest commercial lender by assets. Its Canadian branch is based in Toronto. According to its registry file, ICBC wants to discuss Canada-China business and trade development, inbound and outbound investment, and an expansion of the bank’s service offering in Canada.

The Psychedelic Association of Canada (PAC) has also made its registry debut. The advocacy network of health care professionals, companies and non-governmental organizations started its first file on Oct. 25 with Town Advocacy consultant Karen Moores, The registry file states that Moores plans to communicate with MPs and senators about PAC’s work and organize meetings to discuss industry trends. The association was founded in 2019, and advocates for increased accessibility to, and understanding of, psychedelics in Canada.

Returning to the registry is the Christian Labour Association of Canada (CLAC), which hired consultant Matthew Triemstra of Navigator Ltd. on Oct. 24. Triemstra previously represented CLAC between April 17, 2015, and Feb. 23, 2021, when he worked for Ensight Canada. CLAC is a labour union representing approximately 60,000 workers in sectors such as construction, education, emergency services, health care, and retail. According to its registry file, Triemstra will help arrange meetings with public office holders to discuss labour issues. 

New registry files

Based on a search of the federal lobbyists' registry on Oct. 28 at 9:07 a.m. ET

New registrations

Reactivations