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

The procedure and House affairs committee has recommended that internships be explicitly excluded from rules surrounding the acceptance and reporting of gifts in the conflict of interest code for MPs. The question of whether accepting an “intern service” paid for by a third party places an MP in a conflict of interest featured heavily in public hearings held earlier this year. (Intern service is the report’s term for the employment of an intern in an MP’s office.)

The current code prohibits MPs and their families from accepting “any gift or other benefit, except compensation authorized by law, that might reasonably be seen to have been given to influence the member in the exercise of a duty or function of his or her office.” The committee report presented to the House on June 21 recommends that the code be amended to explicitly exclude interns from the definition of “benefit.”

The Canadian Cattlemen’s Association (CCA) is urging Health Canada to grant an exemption for all single-ingredient whole foods, including ground beef, in the department’s move to implement front-of-package food labels. “All signs point to [a policy where] all single-ingredient whole foods should be exempt. All other countries that we've seen do front-of-pack regulations have exempted all single-ingredient whole foods,” said Jennifer Babcock, senior manager of government relations for the association. Heart and Stroke Foundation’s Manuel Arango said his organization, which has been one of the most vocal advocates for the new rules, also supports an exemption for ground beef from the front-of-package requirements. (This story was also published in Hill Times Research, a sister publication to The Lobby Monitor that exclusively covers federal health policy.)

Cameron Holmstrom has founded Niipaawi Strategies, which he hopes will help boost Indigenous leadership in Canadian government relations. A citizen of the Métis Nation from Treaty 3, Holmstrom said that the word “niipaawi” means “stand up” in Michif. “In the Métis community, that’s what we’ve traditionally done. We believe when push comes to shove, you need to stand up.”

The Canadian Dental Association (CDA) posted 57 of the 2,454 communication reports submitted to the registry last week. Most of the CDA’s communications took place between May 9 and May 13, when the organization held its annual “Days on the Hill” advocacy event. The association was represented in the communications by interim CEO Dr. Aaron Burry, president Lynn Tomkins, and advocacy committee member Dr. Michael Sullivan, as well as Temple Scott Associates consultants Caitlin Drouillard and Don Moors. The CDA communicated with Health Minister Jean Yves Duclos; Seniors Minister Kamal Khera; Darren Fisher, Khera’s parliamentary secretary; Conservative interim leader Candice Bergen and health critic Michael Barrett; and NDP leader Jagmeet Singh and health critic Don Davies.

In new registrations, the Digital Media Association (DiMA) started its first registry file on June 1 with president and CEO Garrett Levin. The Washington, D.C.-based industry association represents streaming companies such as Spotify, Google (including its subsidiary, YouTube), Amazon, Apple, and Pandora. DiMA joined the registry to discuss Bill C-11, the Online Streaming Act, which would give the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) regulatory oversight for online streaming services. In addition to the CRTC, Levin plans to communicate with Heritage and Innovation, as well as MPs and senators.

Also new to the registry is Dorsay Development Corporation, which started its first file on June 22 with consultant Brayden Akers of Navigator Ltd. The Toronto-based real estate development company builds residential and commercial properties in the Greater Toronto Area. Akers plans to meet with Finance officials to discuss the two-year ban on foreign investment in residential property, as outlined in Budget 2022. The budget states that the ban would not apply to permanent residents, refugees, or people authorized to come to Canada under emergency travel while fleeing international crises. The measure was included in the budget bill, C-19, which received royal assent on June 23.

Boosting its representation on the Hill recently is Juul Labs Canada Ltd. The vaping company added PAA Advisory consultants Noah Niznick and Olivia Raycraft to the file on June 15. The PAA consultants join Juul president Tim Corkum, who has represented the company on the registry since Feb. 3. According to its registry file, Juul will advocate for “changes that will further limit underage access to tobacco products,” including raising the age of consent for tobacco products to 21, and limits of individual purchase qualities. Niznick and Raycraft plan to communicate with 12 government institutions, including the Prime Minister’s Office, Finance, Health, Innovation, and Justice, as well as with MPs and senators.

New registry files

Based on a search of the federal lobbyists' registry on June 24 at 9:09 a.m. ET

New registrations

Reactivations