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

Panellists at a Canadian Chamber of Commerce webinar say cybersecurity, innovation, and consistency on public health messaging are areas businesses will be pushing for governments to improve as a post-pandemic “new normal” begins to unfold. The webinar focused on what post-pandemic operations for businesses would look like and lessons learned since March 2020. For panellist Michelle George, the chief engineer and a vice-president at Enbridge Inc., the growth in the use of technology during the pandemic meant that governments and businesses needed to co-operate on stronger cybersecurity measures.

Similar co-operation between the public and private sectors is required to alleviate housing affordability challenges in Canada, according to panellists at a Canadian Club of Ottawa webinar. Speakers from the Canadian Urban Institute, Real Estate Association of Ontario, and the Canadian Homebuilders Association discussed the mechanisms governments and the industry can use to address  supply and demand challenges as real estate prices continue to rise across the country. The webinar heard that the federal government and new housing minister Ahmed Hussen can use taxation and funding conditions to alleviate some housing pressures, but any initiatives would need to be coupled with a national rethink on the concept of the Canadian home.

Mental health advocates are welcoming the first federal appointment of a minister of mental health. Carolyn Bennett was named Canada’s first minister of mental health and addictions and an associate minister of health on Oct. 26, in a move that Lori Spadorcia from the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health said “signaled that this government was going to put a priority focus on mental health and addictions in this country.” (This story was also published in Hill Times Research, a sister publication to The Lobby Monitor which exclusively covers federal health policy.)

Raytheon International filed five of the 55 communication reports submitted last week. Represented on the registry by consultant David Pratt of David Pratt & Associates, the aerospace and defence company’s Canadian interests include the operation and maintenance of the joint U.S.-Canada North Warning System, an early-warning radar system in the North American Arctic. All five of the communications Raytheon posted last week were with Mary-Rose Brown, a senior policy adviser to Freeland. The communications took place between July 8 and July 28.

In new registrations, E3 Metals Corp started its first file on Oct. 25 with Tim Moro of Hill+Knowlton Strategies. The Calgary, Alta.-based company plans to produce battery-quality lithium products from three resource extraction areas in Alberta. According to its file, E3 is interested in discussing Canada’s lithium resources, the development of the domestic industry and supply chain, and “insights to support domestic policy objectives and international agreements on critical minerals and climate change.” Moro plans to communicate with 22 government bodies, including the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO), Finance, Natural Resources, Environment, and Global Affairs, as well as with MPs and senators.

Strengthening its representation on the Hill recently is ONE Global, which added consultants Duncan Rayner and Kristina Proulx of Temple Scott Associates on Oct. 29. The pair join Stuart Hickox, the director of the global organization’s Canadian branch, on the file. Also known as the ONE Campaign, the non-profit organization describes itself on its website as one that is campaigning to end extreme poverty and preventable disease by 2030, with a focus on Africa. According to its registry files, Rayner and Proulx will arrange meetings with government officials to advocate that Africa remain a focus of Canada’s international development policy. Rayner and Proulx plan to communicate with 13 government bodies, including the PMO, Finance, Global Affairs, Immigration, and Health, as well as with MPs and senators.

Returning to the registry this week is Medallion Milk Co., which started new files with Kevin Mason and Pierre Cyr of Fleishman Hillard Highroad on Nov. 1 and Nov. 2 respectively. Cyr had previously been attached to Medallion’s registry file, but that file closed on March 9. The Winnipeg-based company produces powdered milk products. According to its file, the company is seeking federal procurement opportunities. Mason and Cyr plan to communicate with Health, Agriculture, National Defence, Public Services and Procurement, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency, and Correctional Service of Canada, as well as with MPs.

New registry files

Based on a search of the federal lobbyists' registry on Nov. 5 at 9:01 a.m. ET

New registrations

Reactivations

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

Some lobbyists expect a focus on the environment and health in the upcoming session of Parliament after the swearing-in of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s new cabinet on Oct. 26. Among the cabinet changes was the appointment of former heritage minister Steven Guilbeault to the environment file. Guilbeault, a former Greenpeace Canada activist, replaced Jonathan Wilkinson, who has moved to the natural resources portfolio. “I think it really became that this government means business and they're looking to move quickly and really set the legacy for this prime minister. That's always been part of the Liberal messaging and core Liberal values, they want to be serious about climate change,” said Daniel Perry, a consultant at Summa Strategies and former Conservative staffer.

An alliance of Alberta oil sands producers is taking steps to publicize environmental practices underway in the region. Canada’s Oil Sands Innovation Alliance is made up of the major oil sands producers in Alberta, with members sharing intellectual property related to greenhouse gas reduction programs, land and water management, and tailings transformation in the oil sands. “Whenever we're meeting with people from outside the province, whether they're public officials or at a chamber lunch, or just a meeting with someone from Toronto or Ottawa or Montreal, we talk about the culture and the history of innovation in the oil sands and the environmental innovation,” said Wes Jickling, the alliance’s CEO.

Lonzell “Bud” Locklear has joined Earnscliffe Strategies as a principal after more than two decades of working in the U.S. Embassy in Ottawa. Locklear will advise clients of U.S.-Canada relations, with a focus on climate, energy, environment, trade and defence. “Earnscliffe Strategies” is the re-branded name of Earnscliffe Strategy Group. The company launched their new brand, which includes  a new website and the tagline “Thinking Forward,” on Oct. 26.  

The Office of the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner issued four notices of violation to public office holders for not meeting reporting requirements between July and September, according to the office’s quarterly report. The report, released on Oct. 28, also said that two monetary penalties were issued during that period, both for failures to report a material change. Twenty-three case files were opened during the quarter, with 16 closed and no reports published. Eleven cases concerned ministers or parliamentary secretaries, 10 were related to MPs, and eight were related to other public office holders. 

The Canadian Standards Association (CSA Group) filed four of the 19 communication reports submitted last week. Represented on the registry in-house by president and CEO David Weinstein, CSA Group develops public and private sector industry standards, in addition to providing testing, inspection, and certification services. All CSA Group communications filed last week were with Health Canada officials. The group communicated with Jocelyn Voisin, associate assistant deputy minister of Health’s strategic policy branch, on Oct. 4 and Oct. 14; and Luke Carter, an executive director at Health Canada, on Oct. 4 and Oct. 18.

In new registrations, Les investissements Nolinor Inc., more commonly known as Nolinor Aviation, started its first file on Oct. 21 with consultant Yan Plante of TACT. The Quebec-based charter airline is interested in discussing its operations in Canada and demonstrating its “service offering, which can play a key role in a crisis such as access to drinking water in Nunavut.” Plante plans to communicate with 11 government bodies, including the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO), Finance, Crown-Indigenous Relations, and Transport, as well as with MPs and senators.

In other Quebec-based registrations, the Fondation québécoise d'Éducation en sécurité routière or the FQESR (known in English as Quebec Road Safety Foundation) started its first file on Oct. 28 with director-general Yves Georges. The foundation advocates safe driving through training courses and awareness activities. It is seeking funding through Transport Canada’s Enhanced Road Safety Transfer Payment Program, which provides federal funding to organizations working on road safety projects. In addition to Transport, Georges plans to communicate with Environment and Natural Resources.

Boosting its representation on the Hill recently is personal protective equipment (PPE) manufacturer Trebor Rx Corp, which added consultants Andrew Steele and Allyson Grant of StrategyCorp on Oct. 20. The pair joins Galen Cranston of Invictus Corporate Affairs, who has represented the company on the registry since March 18. According to its registry files, the company is interested in discussing federal PPE procurement policies. Steele and Grant intend to communicate with the PMO, Health, Innovation, Public Services and Procurement, Transport and the National Research Council, as well as with MPs.

New registry files

Based on a search of the federal lobbyists' registry on Oct. 29 at 9:00 a.m. ET

New registrations

Reactivations