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

The federal ethics commissioner’s office drew 531 participants during presentations it conducted between January and March, according to the latest quarterly statistics report. This is a higher number of participants than in any previous reporting period, despite the COVID-19 pandemic resulting in the cancellation of five presentations. Ethics Commissioner Mario Dion attributes the increased participation to his office’s greater use of teleconferencing, which made presentations easier for busy public office holders to attend.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, lobby organizations have kept open the lines of communication using video conferencing, phone calls during odd hours, and snail mail. Margaret Eaton, the CEO of the Canadian Mental Health Association, appeared by video conference before with the House health committee on April 15, which she said received greater media attention than any of her previous, in-person meetings. Pierre Gratton, the president and CEO of the Mining Association of Canada, said that, in some ways, communicating with government officials has been easier during the pandemic. There is almost a “heightened respectfulness” as lobbyists and public office holders focus on doing what is best for Canada, he said.

The B.C. government is seeking input from the business sector for ideas on how to safely begin easing COVID-19 restrictions, according to Danielle Dalzell, a new senior consultant at Earnscliffe Strategy Group. Dalzell joined the team at Earnscliffe on April 8, and is a veteran provincial and NDP staffer. She previously served in a strategic communications role for B.C. Premier John Horgan, and also worked as a senior writer for the NDP caucus on Parliament Hill. With Earnscliffe, she is mostly focused on advocacy within B.C., but also does advocacy at the federal level.

The Canadian Seed Trade Association (CSTA) and Colleges and Institutes Canada tied as the most active lobby organizations last week, with both posting 16 communication reports between April 20 and April 26. Nearly all of the CSTA’s reports were from a lobby day the group held on the Hill on Feb. 4. The association didn’t meet with any ministers, but did speak with eight MPs, including four members of the House agriculture and agri-food committee. CSTA communicated with Conservative MP John Barlow, the committee’s vice-chair. The organization also spoke with committee members Francis Drouin and Tim Louis of the Liberal Party, and Conservative MP Lianne Rood.

In new registrations, the tourism sector was prominent this week with several organizations appealing for federal government support to recover from losses related to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Niagara Falls Canada Hotel Association (NFCHA), a non-profit corporation dedicated to promoting Niagara Falls, Ont., as a tourism destination, started its first file on April 22 with five consultants from StrategyCorp. Consultants including Erik De Lorenzi, Troy Sherman and Leslie Noble, are advocating for financial support from the federal government. They will communicate with the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO), Innovation, Finance, Global Affairs, and the Business Development Bank of Canada.

Unite Here Canada, a labour union representing workers in sectors including hotels, food service, gaming and transportation, started its first file on April 14 with consultants Kathleen Monk and Elly Alboim of Earnscliffe Strategy. The organization is interested in pursuing federal government assistance and policy changes related to Canada’s COVID-19 response programs, including the Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy and the Canada Emergency Response Benefit. Monk and Alboim will communicate with the PMO, Health, Finance, Transport, as well as with MPs and senators.

Metro Vancouver Convention and Visitors Bureau (Tourism Vancouver), started its first file on April 17 with consultant Jennifer Anthony of FleishmanHillard HighRoad. The organization is seeking federal government support for the tourism and hospitality industries in greater Vancouver in response to the economic downturn caused by the pandemic, according to the registry. Anthony will communicate with Innovation.
 

New registry files

Based on a search of the federal lobbyists' registry on May 1 at 9:30 a.m.

New registrations

Reactivations