Here’s the news we covered this week:

Bea Bruske, president of the Canadian Labour Congress, and Ian Thomson, manager of policy and advocacy at Oxfam Canada, discussed their organizations’ pre-budget recommendation asking the federal government to implement a national care economy commission with The Lobby Monitor. “Unions that represent workers in the care economy have been identifying for many, many years the reality that care jobs are not often valued the same as other types of jobs, and that people in the care economy are not paid what they should be getting paid in terms of the relevance of their job towards the community,” said Bruske.

The Lobby Monitor spoke with Sheena McConnell, who worked for former B.C. Premier John Horgan, about her new role at Prospectus Associates. McConnell, who joined the firm as a partner, is based out of Vancouver, B.C., and will work with clients from across Western Canada. “I didn't want to go out on my own because I like having people to work with and I just think it makes for better results when you get to work across the [political] spectrum,” said McConnell about her decision to join the company. “It was a nice medium for me. It was a boutique, it was the experienced people, and it was about quality projects rather than quantity.”

In this week’s communication reports, Terry Fox Humanitarian Awards Inc. submitted the highest number of communication reports during the week of March 18 as it seeks federal funding for its post-secondary grant program, according to the organization’s registry file. The organization, represented by its executive director Paulina Chow, filed 27 communications to the federal lobbyists’ registry. Terry Fox Humanitarian Awards Inc. provides students that volunteer and give back to their communities with scholarships for a post-secondary education.

In this week’s registrations, Cohere has joined the federal lobbyists’ registry for the first time to discuss artificial intelligence (AI) provisions within Bill C-27, Digital Charter Implementation Act, 2022. The company is represented by its CEO Aidan Gomez. Cohere is a Canadian technology company which develops AI language models for use in businesses.

Also joining the registry for the first time is PTI Transformers Inc. represented by Jesse Shea of Enterprise Canada. The consultant’s registry file states that discussions will focus on seeking potential federal funding and to amend the government’s investment tax credits to support the domestic manufacturing of electrical transformers. The Regina-based company develops and manufactures electrical transformers.

In new registrations, Restaurant Brands International Inc. has hired Jillian Wilson of GW Group to represent it on the registry. The consultant will look to discuss the federal government’s 2023 Fall Economic Statement, according to her registry file. Restaurant Brands International Inc. is a quick-service restaurant company which owns major fast-food service brands including Tim Hortons, Popeyes, Burger King, and Firehouse Subs.

New Registry

Based on a search of the federal lobbyists' registry on Mar. 28, at 8:45 a.m. E.T.

New Registration

Reactivation

Here’s the news we covered this week:

The Lobby Monitor spoke with multiple lobbyists and former political staffers to better understand the strategy behind the federal Conservatives recent comments on corporate lobbying. Crestview Strategy’s Ashton Arsenault told The Lobby Monitor that comments such as those by Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre are a “clear public signal” to advocacy groups that they will need to have a different approach for the Conservatives. “I actually don't view it as terribly surprising and if you've been following along, it's actually a part of a building narrative,” said Arsenault, vice-president at Crestview and a former Conservative staffer. “While there are trinkets of new information each time that [Poilievre] speaks, the overall narrative is the same.”

Some of those negative comments from the Conservatives were directed at Beer Canada. More specifically, the Conservatives took issue with the organization’s approach to lobbying against this year’s scheduled increase to the excise tax rate for alcohol. The organization’s president, CJ Hélie, spoke to The Lobby Monitor about his reaction to the opposition MPs’ comments and weighed in on the federal government’s recent decision to implement a two-year cap on the tax rate.

In February’s communication reports, Environmental Defence Canada (EDC) was the most active advocacy group with 43 out of a total of 4,044 communication reports submitted to the federal lobbyists’ registry. The organization, which advocates on climate change and environmental issues, is represented by its executive director Tim Gray. Its advocacy efforts focused on a number of environmental issues such as the need to address plastic pollution, advocating for a strong oil and gas emissions cap, and endorsing the Sustainable Jobs Act, according to Ashley Wallis, EDC's associate director.

EDC was also the most active group in this week’s communications, submitting the highest number of reports out of a total of 2,500 filed communications. The group’s lobbying targeted parliamentarians including Liberal MPs Ryan Turnbull (who is the parliamentary secretary to Innovation Minister François-Philippe Champagne), Patrick Weiler, and Francis Scarpaleggia. EDC also communicated with opposition MPs including Bloc Québécois MPs Gabriel Ste-Marie, finance critic, and Jean-Denis Garon, national revenue critic; and NDP environment critic Laurel Collins.

In this week’s registrations, Sapphire Springs is joining the federal lobbyists' registry for the first time as it seeks federal government support for its business activities. The company is represented by Bruce Hartley of Prospectus Associates. Hartley will engage officials to secure federal support for research, development and expansion of the company’s sustainable Arctic Char production.

Also joining the registry for the first time is Antora Energy, which is represented by Jason Evans of Sussex Strategy. Discussion will focus on amending the feds’ clean economy investment tax credits to include thermal energy storage as an applicable technology. California-based Antora Energy uses “heat-to-power” thermophotovoltaic technology to power industrial facilities.

In new registrations, Canada Fortescue Future Industries Ltd. is fortifying its lobbying presence with the registration of Stephen Appleton, its manager for Canada. Discussions will focus on potential grants and financing from multiple government programs including the Clean Fuels Fund, the Strategic Innovation Fund, and the Canada Growth Fund.

New Registry

Based on a search of the federal lobbyists' registry on Mar. 22, at 9:00 a.m. E.T.

New Registration

Reactivation