Here’s the news we covered this week:

The updated Lobbyists’ Code of Conduct is expected to come into force on July 1, Lobbying Commissioner Nancy Bélanger told the House ethics committee on May 12. “I have completed my review [of recommendations], finalized it, and I have sent it to the Gazette to be published,” she said, noting that Canada Gazette staff told her that they plan to publish the update on May 27. If that timing holds, the code will come into force on July 1, she said. Bélanger appeared before the committee as it studied the 2023-24 main estimates for the Office of the Commissioner of Lobbying and the Office of the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner.

The procedure and House affairs committee, which is studying foreign interference, heard from some organizations this week that the federal government should implement a robust foreign influence registry with additional reporting requirements for those lobbying federal officials or political parties on behalf of foreign governments. “Simply putting in place a foreign agent registry, especially if it’s loophole-filled, will not do much to stop foreign interference,” said Duff Conacher, co-founder of Democracy Watch, who spoke before the committee on May 9. “It must require anyone or any entity to register if they are paid or compensated in any way, directly or indirectly, by a foreign government, foreign entity, or foreigner.”

The Lobby Monitor did a deep dive into Bill C-22, Canada Disability Benefit Act. We detailed what the bill proposes to do and who has been speaking about it. 

The Canadian Dental Association led in communications last week, posting 35 of the 272 reports submitted to the registry. The professional association is represented by CEO Aaron Burry, president Lynn Tomkins, president-elect Heather Carr, vice-president Joel Antel, and Edelman consultants Ashley Brambles, Pierre Cyr, and Victoria Jordan. The association held a lobby day to discuss the federal government’s dental care program. The CDA communicated with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau; Darren Fisher, parliamentary secretary to Seniors Minister Kamal Khera; NDP leader Jagmeet Singh and health critic Don Davies; and Laila Goodridge, the Conservative critic for addictions.

In new registrations, the Canadian Urological Association will be represented by Noah Mondrow and Christian von Donat from Impact Public Affairs who are expected to hold discussions with Health Canada and the Public Health Agency of Canada. The CUA is a national organization representing urologists and its purpose is to “promote the highest standard of urologic care and to advance the science of urology,” according to its website.

Insurance company Aviva has joined the registry to discuss vehicle thefts in Canada. Pathway Group consultants Tyler Banham, Peter Curtis, and Jerry Khouri registered on May 1 to represent the British multinational in discussions with the Prime Minister’s Office and Public Safety.

Boosting its representation on the Hill is the Foundation for Black Communities, which started an in-house registration with president and CEO Glady Ahovi on May 5. The philanthropic foundation for investment in Black communities is also represented by Fasken Martineau DuMoulin LLP consultants Mahdi Hussein and Marcia Mills, both of whom registered on Feb. 3. According to its registry file, the foundation plans to discuss Employment and Social Development’s Black-Led Philanthropic Endowment Fund. 

New registry files

Based on a search of the federal lobbyists' registry on May 11 at 9:12 a.m. ET.

New registrations

Reactivations