Here’s the news we covered this week:

With less than two weeks left until the release of the 2023 budget, the opportunity to influence spending measures is dwindling. Sahir Khan, executive vice-president of the Institute of Fiscal Studies and Democracy at the University of Ottawa, said most of the budget is now prepared. “If something is truly urgent, and it will reflect the changing context [such as the economic situation or new developments that require a financial response], or [there is] a constituency that really hasn't been heard to date, you might as well [ask for it], but you're fighting for those last few slots,” said Khan, who was acting director of operations in the Privy Council Office (PCO) between 2005 and 2008. (This story  was also published in Hill Times Research, a sister publication to The Lobby Monitor which exclusively covers federal health policy.)   

Alex MacDonald has joined Counsel Public Affairs as an account director at the firm’s federal practice. The self-described “policy wonk” brings experience in the offices of federal and provincial conservative leaders, and a permanent mission to the United Nations. He plans to work across policy areas to assist clients with complex federal issues. “Someone like myself, who comes from more of a policy background, can lend a hand across those files, understanding the policy dynamics within them, and offering that more policy-driven GR lens for our clients,” he said.

The Canadian Labour Congress’ (CLC) recent lobby days led the labour body to post more than three times the number of communication reports of any other group in February. The CLC contributed 133 of the 3,124 reports submitted for communications that took place last month. Those communications all took place on Feb. 6 and Feb. 7, when CLC members were in Ottawa for lobby days. Delegates communicated with seven ministers, including Labour Minister Seamus O’Regan, Employment Minister Carla Qualtrough, Infrastructure Minister Dominic LeBlanc, and Crown-Indigenous Relations Minister Marc Miller. The CLC’s communications contributed to the fourth-busiest February for lobbying since 2009, in terms of reports filed.

In more recent communications, the National Council of Canadian Muslims (NCCM) posted 24 of the 327 communication reports submitted to the registry last week. The advocacy body for Canadian Muslims is represented on the registry by CEO Stephen Brown. All but one of the NCCM’s communications took place on March 6. The council communicated on that day with Emergency Preparedness Minister Bill Blair; Yasir Naqvi, Blair’s parliamentary secretary; Gary Anandasangaree, parliamentary secretary to Justice Minister David Lametti; NDP deputy leader Alexandre Boulerice; Green Party leader Elizabeth May; and Conservative Senator Salma Ataullahjan, who chairs the Senate human rights committee. The NCCM also communicated twice with Amira Elghawaby, Canada’s special representative on combatting Islamophobia, on March 6 and March 7.

In new registrations, the Protecting New Homes and Construction Coalition started its first file on March 6, with consultants Carmine Boskovich, Daniel Brock, Claudia Feldkamp, and Dana Gregoire of Fasken Martineau DuMoulin LLP. The coalition is comprised of CRH Canada Group Inc., Heidelberg Materials Canada Limited; Lafarge Canada Inc., and St. Marys Cement Inc. All four companies are involved in construction or supply materials for construction. According to its registry file, the coalition wants to discuss the impact of the Prohibition on the Purchase of Residential Property by Non-Canadians Act, which came into force on Jan. 1. The Fasken consultants plan to communicate with Finance, Innovation, Heritage, and the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation, as well as with MPs and senators.

Also new to the registry is the Chambre de commerce de l'Est de Montréal (CCEM), which has hired National Public Relations consultant Julien Provencher-Proulx to represent it in discussions with Canada Economic Development for Quebec Regions (CED) and MPs. Provencher-Proulx registered on March 8. The CCEM represents approximately 1,250 businesses in the 10 most eastern boroughs of Montreal, Que., as well as the independent city of Montréal-Est, Que. The chamber of commerce plans to advocate for federal government policies and programs to revitalize the east end of Montreal, according to its registry file.

The Canadian Council for Sustainable Aviation Fuels (C-SAF) has returned to the federal lobbyists’ registry recently to advocate for the production of lower carbon-intense aviation fuel in Quebec. The consortium of 60 airlines has hired TACT consultants Jean-Frédérick Legendre, who registered on March 6, and Eric Duchesne, who registered on March 7, to represent it in discussions with MPs. Legendre previously represented C-SAF between Dec. 3, 2021, and Aug. 16, 2022. According to its French-language registry file, C-SAF is interested in discussing policies that will promote the domestic development of sustainable aviation fuel. The council will also discuss the development of national standards for the use of low carbon-intense aviation fuel, in line with international criteria.

New registry files

Based on a search of the federal lobbyists' registry on March 17 at 9:10 a.m. ET.

New registrations

Reactivations