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

Space Canada, a new industry association led by former New Brunswick premier Brian Gallant, wants the federal government to create a national council, chaired by the prime minister, that would focus on positioning Canada as an international leader in the space sector. The organization launched on March 3 as a partnership between nine companies: Calian, GHGSat, Magellan Aerospace, Maritime Launch, MDA, Mission Control Space Services, Northstar Earth and Space, SpaceBridge Inc., and Telesat. Gallant told The Lobby Monitor that a united industry voice will help foster collaboration within the sector, as well as engagement with governments and other stakeholders.

Counsel Public Affairs has introduced a free service to organizations interested in assisting Ukrainian resettlement efforts in Canada, as community associations push the federal government for more support for those fleeing the war in Ukraine. Counsel wants to connect clients interested in employing or training Ukrainians resettling in Canada with relevant federal government departments free of charge. “It's a small thing that we can do to, at this early stage, just facilitate some additional conversations around how people can help, but I think this is just the start of what will be a much bigger effort,” said Sheamus Murphy, principal and federal practice lead at Counsel.

StrategyCorp co-founder John Duffy is being remembered as a partnership builder and leader in modern Canadian government relations, following his passing last week. Duffy died unexpectedly at his Toronto home on March 3. He was 58. His funeral was held on March 8, with a memorial service held later that day at the Royal Ontario Museum in Toronto. “John’s career was mostly about trying to bring people together who wouldn’t normally agree about things and get them to agree because it made sense to them,” said John Matheson, a principal at StrategyCorp. “He was very much an intellectual leader around a vision for what government relations should be. There was nobody who was more articulate, advancing that vision, than John.”

Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East (CJPME) filed 13 of the 262 communication reports submitted to the registry last week. CJPME started its first file on Jan. 18 with president Thomas Woodley. According to its website, it “seeks to promote justice, development and peace in the Middle East, and here at home in Canada.” CJPME communicated with Pam Damoff, parliamentary secretary to Public Safety Minister Marco Mendicino, on Feb. 4; Speaker (and Liberal MP) Anthony Rota on Feb. 2; and Salma Zahid, Liberal chair of the House immigration committee, on Jan. 21. The organization also communicated with the NDP’s foreign affairs critic Heather McPherson on Jan. 24, and defence critic Lindsay Mathyssen on Jan. 25.

In new registrations, Canadian Artists’ Representation - Le Front des artistes canadiens and Regroupement des Artistes en Arts Visuels du Québec started files on March 4 with Tara Mazurk of Global Public Affairs. Mazurk’s colleague Andrew Walker joined the file on March 8. The organizations advocate nationally on behalf of professional visual artists. According to their registry files, both organizations are interested in advocating “for the inclusion of the artist's resale right to support artists and copyright holders in upcoming amendments to the Copyright Act.” Mazurk and Walker plan to communicate with the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO), Finance, Heritage, Global Affairs, and Innovation, as well as with MPs and senators.

Also joining the registry is Well Made Here, which started its first file on Dec. 16, 2021 with CEO Richard Darveau. The organization launched in 2018 and encourages the purchase of Canadian-made building materials and other residential market items. According to its French-language registry file, Well Made Here will advocate for a federal program or policy encouraging the purchase of standardized residential building products. Darveau plans to communicate with 15 government agencies, including the PMO, Finance, Innovation, and Public Services, as well as with MPs.

Returning to the registry recently is the Canadian Career Development Foundation (CCDF), which added consultant Rob LeForte of First Lake Solutions. LeForte previously represented CCDF from Feb. 15, 2018 to Feb. 17, 2020, when he was with Impact Public Affairs. The CCDF is interested in discussing its “In Motion & Momentum+” program “to prepare underserved populations for success in the workforce and in training programs.” LeForte plans to communicate with 12 government agencies, including the PMO, Finance, Crown-Indigenous Relations, and Employment, as well as with MPs and senators.

New registry files

Based on a search of the federal lobbyists' registry on March 11 at 9:07 a.m. ET

New registrations

Reactivations