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

Ethics critic Michael Barrett and Finance Critic Pierre Poilievre have asked Lobbying Commissioner Nancy Bélanger to consider investigating whether WE Charity should be a registered lobbyist considering the group’s conversations with senior government officials in the past. WE is currently not on the federal lobbyists’ registry. In an emailed statement to The Lobby Monitor, Bélanger’s office said it is not required to wait for a third party to submit an allegation of a breach of lobbying rules to begin an investigation as “the Office conducts its own compliance monitoring activities.”

This is the most recent development in the controversy surrounding the Liberal government’s decision to name WE as the organization that would administer a student grant program. WE has since backed away from that role.  

The federal ethics office announced on July 16 it is investigating Finance Minister Bill Morneau for possible contraventions of the Conflict of Interest Act. The investigation was launched following complaints sent to the ethics office by four MPs on July 10 about Morneau’s participation in the cabinet decision to award a multi-million-dollar contract to WE Charity. In a statement emailed to The Lobby Monitor, Morneau said that he should have recused himself from the decision because his daughter, Grace Acan, works for WE Charity. Morneau also told The Lobby Monitor he will fully cooperate with Ethics Commissioner Mario Dion in the investigation.

Stephanie Gawur is the new senior director of government relations with Santis Health, a government relations consultancy based in Toronto dedicated to service in the health care and life sciences sector. She previously worked at Counsel Public Affairs as a senior consultant, and later as an associate vice-president. Gawur’s clients with Counsel on health-related files have included pharmaceutical company Bayer, and medical technology company Molli Surgical. She also has a background with political campaigns, including previously serving as a regional organizer for Vic Fedeli, who is now Ontario’s minister of Economic Development, during his PC leadership campaign in the province in 2014.

Global Public Affairs (GPA) launched a practice dedicated to sports and tourism on July 13 in response to how those sectors have been negatively impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Physical distancing measures have hit professional sports hard, with the North American National Hockey League (NHL), National Basketball Association (NBA) and Major League Baseball (MLB) postponing their seasons. Rod Elliot, a senior vice president at GPA, said the new practice will emphasize gender-equality by supporting clients from men’s and women’s sporting organizations. Included on the practice’s team is senior consultant Alanna Sokic, who is also chair of the Toronto chapter of Equal Voice.

The Saskatchewan Association of Rural Municipalities (SARM) was one of the most active groups in terms of communication reports filed last week. SARM filed nine communication reports, which each targeted the same 13 MPs and one senator on nine separate occasions between July 7 and July 10. One of the group’s top priorities is to push for development of broadband connectivity in rural and remote areas, which has taken on a greater importance during the pandemic, according to SARM President Ray Orb.

In new registrations, Children’s Healthcare Canada started its first file on July 14 with its president, Emily Gruenwoldt. The organization is interested in federal investments in child health services, an expansion of virtual care services, and greater infrastructure for child health research, the registry shows. Gruenwoldt will communicate with the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO), Health, Finance, Innovation, the Public Health Agency of Canada, as well as with senators and MPs.

VBI Vaccines, a U.S. biopharmaceutical company, started its first file on July 13 with its CEO Jeffrey Baxter. The company is attempting to develop a COVID-19 vaccine, and has applied for support from the federal government’s Strategic Innovation Fund. Baxter will communicate with Innovation and with the National Research Council.

Bonny Koabel of AKR Consulting Canada is listed as a consultant on two files posted this week from Ontario food companies. Solmaz Foods, a meat processing company, and Sabatini U Gourmet Foods Limited, a grocery store, both started files with Koabel on July 15. Each company is pursuing federal funding to support modifications to their facilities for COVID-19 prevention. For both clients, Koabel will communicate with Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada.

Here are the registrations for the week of July 13:

New registry files

Based on a search of the federal lobbyists' registry on July 17 at 8:45 a.m.

New registrations

Reactivations