Here’s a rundown of the news we covered this week:

The federal Liberals are well-positioned if an election is called this year because of the 2021 budget’s appeal to women, minority groups and young Canadians, according to some lobbyists. Sheamus Murphy, a partner and federal advocacy lead at Counsel Public Affairs, said a spring election is unlikely because Budget 2021 has already passed three confidence votes in the House. Daniel Perry, a consultant at Summa Strategies, believes an election will most likely be held between September and November, based on the extension of the Canada Emergency Rent Subsidy proposed in the budget. The subsidy program is currently set to expire in June.

Lobbying Commissioner Nancy Bélanger is anticipating hiring more information technology (IT) staff for the Office of the Commissioner of Lobbying (OCL) thanks to a funding increase for the office announced in Budget 2021. The budget, released on April 19, pledges $622,602 for the OCL starting in 2021-2022, and $780,143 on an ongoing basis. Bélanger would like to use this funding to hire five additional staff members to maintain and enhance the lobbyists' registration system, and associated IT and information management systems, according to a statement provided to The Lobby Monitor.

Lucas Meyer, former radio anchor for Toronto’s Newstalk 1010, has joined Enterprise Canada as a senior consultant of media and public affairs. Meyer does not anticipate engaging in lobbying, but is helping clients with crisis communications and media messaging. He is also a former radio reporter for Rogers Media’s 680 News in Toronto, and provided the voice of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in an episode of The Simpsons that aired on April 28, 2019.

Cooperation Canada, a coalition of more than 80 organizations working in international development and the humanitarian sector, contributed nine of the 101 communication reports posted between April 19 and April 25. The coalition, represented on the registry by its president and CEO, Nicolas Moyer, communicated with Conservative Leader Erin O'Toole on March 16, and NDP Deputy House Leader Heather McPherson on March 29. Cooperation Canada issued a press release following the release of Budget 2021 that criticized the budget as lacking a vision for addressing “international climate challenges.”

In new registrations, the Association of Day Care Operators of Ontario (ADCO) started its first file on April 23 with consultant Serge Alexandre Buy of Flagship Solutions. Consultant Bradley Davey of the same firm was added on April 26. The organization is interested in making recommendations on the best way for the federal government to go about implementing its Budget 2021 promise of a national early learning and child care system. ADCO wants to see a national child care system that builds on “what is already working” in provincial jurisdictions (such as provinces that provide tax credits to parents who pay for daycare), rather than the implementation of a “one size fits all” approach, according to an April 20 press release. The consultants will communicate with the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO), Privy Council Office, Employment and Social Development Canada, MPs and senators.

The Alliance for Privacy and Innovation in Canada started its first file on April 19 with consultants Sheamus Murphy, David Murray, and Ben Parsons of Counsel Public Affairs. The alliance is interested in speaking to the federal government about Bill C-11, which proposes to modernize Canadian privacy law. Members of the alliance include BCE Inc., Telus Corporation, and the Canadian Tire Corporation. The Counsel Public Affairs consultants will communicate with the PMO, Innovation, Justice, Global Affairs Canada, the Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada, senators and MPs.

Internet giant Google Canada Corporation increased its representation on the registry by adding consultant Adam Yahn of Summa Strategies to its file on April 26.  Also active on the file are Yahn’s Summa colleague Shay Purdy, and Sabrina Geremia, Google Canada’s managing director. Google Canada is reaching out to the federal government to discuss internet safety and data protection in relation to Canadian privacy policy, the registry shows. Yahn will communicate with the PMO, Privy Council Office, Innovation, Justice, Global Affairs Canada, Finance, Environment, and with MPs and senators.

New registry files

Based on a search of the federal lobbyists' registry on April 30 at 8:45 a.m. ET

New registrations

Reactivations