cover image: Canada’s Lobbyist Registries

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Canada’s Lobbyist Registries

19 Aug 2017

Each year in the US, dozens of shareholder proposals are filed asking boards of directors to report on the resources committed to lobbying activity, the organizations that the corporation is supporting financially, and its own lobbying on policy issues. [...] The best The highest-scoring registries were: the Quebec lobbyist registry (6.5 points), the federal lobbyist registry (5.5 points), and the Ontario lobbyist registry (5 points). [...] All registries in Canada require lobbyists to disclose the subject matter of their lobbying; however, the Ontario and Quebec registries go further, requiring lobbyists to disclose the aim of their lobbying activity. [...] In Ontario, the “goal of lobbying activity” is included within the legislation and the Registrar says explicitly that it will refuse to accept vague, “catch-all” answers in filings.5 In Quebec, disclosing specific lobbying goals is not mandated within the Lobbying Transparency and Ethics Act but made explicit in accompanying guidance.6 For investors and the public, these requirements provide the c [...] The federal lobbyist registry is weaker than Ontario’s or Quebec’s in terms of transparency of lobbying aims; however, it is the only jurisdiction in Canada that requires lobbyists to report on individual communications with government officials.
government politics economy ethics government information investments justice law lobbying human activities provincial lobbyists public sphere provinces and territories of canada northwest territories lobbyists registration responsible investment contingency lobbying in the united states
Pages
15
Published in
Vancouver, BC, CA

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