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

Lobbyists feel there will be missed opportunities for networking because of the cancelled Conservative leadership convention, and the possibility that the upcoming Conservative policy convention may become a virtual event. The next leader of the Conservative Party will be chosen entirely by mail-in ballot on Aug. 21. The Conservative policy convention, which was pushed to November, has been postponed again to a date to be determined, which may be in 2021. The party is considering the possibility of the policy convention being conducted virtually, according to a statement released in May. Kate Harrison, a vice-president at Summa Strategies, described political conventions as an opportunity to connect with people, but not for direct lobbying.

John O’Leary, a former communications director for three federal ministers, is now a senior consultant at Crestview Strategy. He previously acted as a communications director for Maryam Monsef and Karina Gould, while both were in the role of minister of Democratic Institutions. He also served in the same role for former Employment minister MaryAnn Mihychuk. O’Leary said he will help clients interested in telling their unique stories in high-stakes, must-win circumstances.

The Canadian Cattlemen’s Association (CCA) contributed more than a third of all the communication reports posted to the federal lobbyists’ registry last week. The CCA, which represents approximately 60,000 Canadian beef farmers, filed 36 of the 96 communication reports posted between June 22 and June 28. The organization, which is represented on the registry by its executive vice-president Dennis Laycraft and board members Bob Lowe and David Haywood-Farmer, contacted Minister of Agriculture Marie Claude Bibeau on April 14. Minister of Veterans Affairs Lawrence MacAulay was contacted on May 19.

In new registrations, the Real Jobs, Real Recovery Coalition started its first file on June 9. The coalition is represented by Stewart Muir, the executive director of Resource Works, a group that advocates for natural resource development in British Columbia. According to the registry, the coalition is advocating for policy support for natural resources industries for Canada’s economic recovery following the pandemic. Members of the coalition include the Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers, the Canadian Association of Oilwell Drilling Contractors, and the Canadian Energy Pipelines Association. Muir will communicate with Natural Resources Canada, Innovation, as well as with MPs and senators.

The Canadian Women’s Chamber of Commerce (CanWCC) started its first file on May 5 with its CEO, Nancy Wilson. The organization, which supports women-owned businesses, is interested in federal government financial support and programming for women-identified entrepreneurs. Wilson will communicate with Innovation, Finance, Global Affairs Canada, WAGE, and the Business Development Bank of Canada.

Gateway Casinos & Entertainment started its first file on June 20 with consultants Dan Mader and Christopher Froggatt of Loyalist Public Affairs. Consultant Kenzie McKeegan of the same firm was added on June 26. The organization is interested in discussing the Large Employer Emergency Financing Facility (LEEFF), a federal government program that provides liquidity assistance in the form of interest-bearing term loans to large Canadian employers that have been affected by the COVID-19 outbreak. The equity firm that owns Gateway, Catalyst Capital Group, is currently involved in a $1.5-billion deal to sell the company to Leisure Acquisition Corp. The deadline of the deal has been extended until Dec. 1.

The Lobby Monitor has also taken a look at new registrations on the federal lobbyists’ registry for the current parliamentary session. From Dec. 5, 2019 until July 3, 2020 at 9:15 a.m., more than 1,500 registry files, new registrations, and reactivations have been posted.
 

New registry files

Based on a search of the federal lobbyists' registry on July 3 at 9:15 a.m.

New registrations

Reactivations

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

Groups advocating for an environmentally-focused economic recovery plan are pushing back against plans presented by Canada’s oil and natural gas sector. Environmental Defence put out a call to its members on June 24, encouraging them to contact their MPs to advocate for an economic recovery plan that doesn’t “[cave] to the fossil fuel or petrochemical industries.” The Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers (CAPP) argued in a letter to Minister of Natural Resources Seamus O’Regan that its sector should play a key role in economic recovery. CAPP was the most active lobby group in April, filing 41 communication reports, and was also the most active group in May, filing 27 reports. Another environmental organization, Greenpeace Canada, has organized a petition calling on the federal government to discuss a “green recovery” through a public consultation process.

Organizations are relying on C-suite executives more than ever to raise the profile of their communications with the federal government during the COVID-19 pandemic, according to government relations consultants. Lobbying activity has increased during the pandemic, and organizations are looking for ways to make their communications stand out from the crowd, according to Dennis Matthews, vice-president of marketing and communications at Enterprise. This has led to a push for more senior-to-senior interactions with the federal government, he said.

The House finance committee has launched consultations for the 2021 federal budget, and the competition for government funds next year is likely to be intense, according to Elliot Hughes, a senior adviser at Summa Strategies. The pandemic has negatively impacted many organizations financially, which makes it likely that more submissions will be made than in previous years from groups seeking federal funds. The federal government’s ability to provide funds will also be strained because of the large amount of spending already done on measures related to the pandemic, according to Hughes.

O’Regan was targeted by eight different oil and natural gas companies in communication reports posted between June 15 and June 21. CAPP posted 27 communication reports on June 15, including a report listing contact with O’Regan on May 28. Other oil and natural gas organizations that contacted O’Regan include Canadian Natural Resources Limited, Cenovus Energy and Chevron Canada Limited.

In new registrations, Big Digital, a technology company based in Toronto, started its first file on the federal lobbyists’ registry on June 15 with consultant Roberto Chávez of Sussex Strategy Group. The company is interested in a government contract related to its technology, which is used to adapt client-facing service delivery operations with COVID-19 in mind. Big Digital has developed SafeChek, a technology used in entrance ways of buildings that can be used to detect facemasks, and to display information such as wait times and the number of people currently inside. Chávez will communicate with the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO), Finance, Innovation, Health, the Business Development Bank of Canada, as well as MPs.

Protoplast, a plastic injection molding company based in Ontario, started its first file on June 23 with consultant Matthew Henley of Wellington Dupont. The company is interested in government contracts to supply personal protective equipment (PPE) to meet the growing demand in Canada. PPE can include gowns, gloves, respirators and masks intended to prevent exposure to infectious disease. Henley will communicate with the PMO, Innovation, Finance, Health, the Business Development Bank of Canada, and with MPs.

Henley has also been engaged by Smart Safe Science (3S), another company in Ontario that manufactures PPE.  The company started its file on June 23, and is interested in pursuing government contracts to supply the vital supplies. Henley will communicate with the PMO, Finance, Health, the Business Development Bank of Canada, and with MPs.
 

New registry files

Based on a search of the federal lobbyists' registry on June 26 at 9:10 a.m.

New registrations

Reactivations