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

Industry and labour organizations are urging the return or extension of federal pandemic support measures as the Omicron variant of COVID-19 spreads through the country. While a series of new pandemic measures were introduced through the feds’ most recent support package, Bill C-2, organizations representing businesses and employees are using petitions, open letters, and other public campaigns to call for more support during the Omicron wave. “If we're going to be restricting businesses or shutting them down and putting them into lockdown situations, then we need to make sure that they have financial support to continue to operate their businesses, because the bills don't stop,” said Corinne Pohlmann, senior vice-president of national affairs at the Canadian Federation of Independent Business.

Dan Arnold, the former research and advertising director in Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s office, has joined Pollara Strategic Insights as chief strategy officer. Arnold told The Lobby Monitor that his new role will not be all that different from his six-year stint in the Prime Minister’s Office. “In government you are trying to respond to what your customer base, which are Canadians, want and you're trying to communicate to them in language that they can understand,” he said. 

Last month was the second-busiest December for lobbying activity in more than a decade, as a series of in-person and virtual Hill days were held during the first session of the 44th Parliament. A total of 1,846 communication reports were posted on the federal lobbyists’ registry for December 2021, slightly behind the 1,890 submitted for the same period in 2020. That December was the busiest since at least 2008, which is the earliest available year in the registry’s online record.

The Fédération des communautés francophones et acadienne du Canada (FCFA) submitted 30 of the 1,480 communication reports posted to the federal lobbyists’ registry last week. Represented on the registry in-house by president Liane Roy and director-general Alain Dupuis, the FCFA communicated with Northern Affairs Minister Dan Vandal and Tourism Minister Randy Boissonnault on Dec. 1, and with Immigration Minister Sean Fraser on Dec. 2. The federation also communicated with Official Languages Commissioner Raymond Théberge on Dec. 16; Marie-France Lalonde, parliamentary secretary to Immigration Minister Fraser, on Dec. 1; Marc Serré, parliamentary secretary to Official Languages Minister Ginette Petitpas Taylor, on Dec. 13; and Conservative official languages critic Alain Rayes on Dec. 14.

In new registrations, the Alliance for Visitors Tax Refund started its first file on Jan. 10 with consultant Marc Desmarais of NATIONAL Public Relations. The alliance is made up of the Retail Council of Canada, Swedish tax-free shopping company Global Blue Sverige AB, and seven Canadian companies, including retailers Hudson’s Bay, Harry Rosen Inc., Birks Group, and ALDO Group. Commercial real estate operators Triple Five Group, the Cadillac Fairview Corporation, and QuadReal Property Group are also among the alliance members. According to its registry file, the alliance is seeking “meetings with elected and non-elected officials pertaining to the Visitors Tax Refund.” Desmarais will communicate with the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO), Finance, Innovation, the Treasury Board, and the Canada Revenue Agency, as well as with MPs and senators.

Also new to the registry is the Montréal Museums Society, which started its first file on Jan. 17 with consultant Sébastien Bonneau of Perspectives Government Strategies. The organization represents approximately 50 of the city’s museums, and encourages communication, mutual aid, and co-operation between the institutions. According to its French-language file, the society is interested in discussing the “Centre des collections muséales de Montréal,” a collective storage space administered by the organization and used by member museums, private estates, and other groups. Bonneau will communicate with the PMO, Heritage, and Infrastructure, as well as with MPs.

Returning to the registry is Nokia Canada Inc. The Canadian subsidiary of the Finnish telecommunications and electronics company started a new file on Jan. 13 with consultant Muhammad Ali of Crestview Strategy. Nokia previously appeared on the registry under the name Nokia Siemens Networks with Gord McIntosh of Ketchum Inc. between June 7, 2008 and Feb. 3, 2010. According to its current registry file, Nokia is interested in “advocacy for funding to support [a] new development project.” Ali plans to communicate with the PMO, Innovation, and Export Development Canada, as well as with MPs. 

New registry files

Based on a search of the federal lobbyists' registry on Jan. 21 at 9:06 a.m. ET

New registrations

Reactivations