“During that period you had a significant shift in the regulatory framework, so it might very well be that people who were undertaking lobbying activities weren’t registered because there was really no enforcement and what not. So, bringing in a Lobbying Act that has Criminal Code sanctions is probably people that were unclear whether or not they were lobbying looked into it, found out they were, and registered,” said one lobbyist. “I think it is a good thing. I think the fact that we’re recording more activity means that that stuff is being done in the light of day.”
Today, there are 5,228 registered lobbyists, compared to 3,294 in 2005, according to the Lobbying Commissioner’s Office. Of these, 792 are consultant lobbyists, 1,853 are in-house corporation lobbyists, and 2,583 are in-house organization lobbyists.
But the lobbying world could be much more transparent. Currently anyone who is paid and spends more than 20 per cent of their job to influencing legislation, to amending regulations or to applying for a contract or grant, are required to register their activity with the lobbying commissioner. The registration outlines what the lobbyist is expected to lobby on. If there are any oral and pre-arranged meetings with designated public office holders, lobbyists must then file a communications report with the commissioner each month. Although the communications reports state who the lobbyist met with and one or two words on what the meeting is about, the details stop there. For in-house lobbyists, it’s even more unclear who met with the DPOH as only the senior-most official is listed on the communication even though he or she may or may not have been at the meeting.
Another lobbyist, who did not want to be identified, said the “cumulative introduction of registration requirements and regulations” is one reason for the increase, but also because “increased media attention has educated some people into making sure they register when required.”
The lobbyist also said, “In addition, industry associations like GRIC [Government Relations Institute of Canada] have been far more forthcoming in elevating the profession’s reputation and educating the public and the media about how ethical lobbyists contribute to the democratic process.”
Other lobbyists attributed the growth to an increasingly complex government that’s difficult to navigate.
“There are more barriers in place to get points and positions across to officials. As a result more expertise is being called upon to tailor and deliver messages on public policy and business issues,” said one lobbyist, noting that as government officials and politicians “become less approachable” or more “reluctant to consult with the public,” lobbyists, or advocates, and people with experience and knowledge of government are being called upon to help bring their issue to the government’s attention.
“One thing you could say is that the constituency that is served by lobbyists does not spend money frivolously. People that are successful in business, one of the common characteristics is they spend their money wisely. So, the fact that the market, for lobbying, seems to be growing, I think you can probably make a correlation if not a causation and say they must think it’s worth it. Does that mean government’s more complex? I don’t know,” one lobbyist said. “But I think it means that people are starting to appreciate the implications of being on the wrong side of government decisions. Those can get quite expensive.”
In a 2006 Report on Business article, writer John Lorinc wrote: “Government relations is a word-of-mouth business founded on insider relationships and specialized knowledge about how Ottawa functions. The practitioners include former senior civil servants, ex-politicians, lawyers and political staffers. Traditionally, recruiting tended to be counter-
cyclical: If you run a lobbying shop, the best time to hire a new partner is two or three years into the life of a government, when insiders decide they want to make some money by capitalizing on the contacts and knowledge they’ve accumulated along the way.”
But things have changed a lot, even since then, lobbyists told The Hill Times. “In today’s Ottawa, frankly in today’s Canada, anyone who interacts with government on a professional basis is a lobbyist,” said Government Relations Institute of Canada president Jim Patrick, a senior vice-president at the Canadian Wireless and Telecommunications Association.
That means anyone in organizations from banks to libraries and mining to international development NGOs are lobbyists, or as many like to refer to themselves, advocates for public policy.
A top lobbyist is not always in “ask” mode with the government, but takes the time to get to know people and processes to align the organizations’ interests with government. It’s about knowing how the government works, and bringing new ideas and solutions to solve public policy issues. It’s also about “bringing a communications perspective to your advocacy plans,” said one lobbyist, who noted that the number of meetings someone has is not a measure of success.
Last year there were 11,812 monthly communications reports filed with the Lobbying Commissioner’s office between lobbyists and designated public office holders. “Lobbying is a business where benchmarks and movement on files is a rather obscure concept so sometimes people will book meetings to have activity, or to demonstrate you’re connected. Usually people new to the industry do that, or they do that with new clients,” said one lobbyist.
Meetings with DPOHs are only one aspect of lobbying, however. Every file is different, and moving a file forward changes depending on the government’s priorities, the political climate of the day, the available funding, and how difficult the policy or regulation is to implement. “There’s no template to handle any file,” the lobbyist said.
“You’ve got to make sure you’re moving your issue through the bureaucracy and the political streams. You can’t do one at the expense of the other. So the political meetings are useful at such a time when they contact the bureaucracy for advice and the bureaucracy is giving them, ‘Yeah that’s okay to do.’ If you’re expecting a political override of the bureaucracy, that’s a risk strategy. Are they [meetings] useful? Yes, but they have to be at the right time of the process. And the right time in the process depends on where the issue is and what the issue is,” the lobbyist said.
But it’s also about the “long game,” said lobbyists. This could mean building relationships, remaining relevant in the media and appearing before Parliamentary committees.
Narrowing down the top 100 from this registry was difficult, but insiders said the key to being a top lobbyist is not about “insider relationships,” but rather smart strategy. For this, lobbyists need to have experience in government either as a bureaucrat, a political staffer or elected official, in order to understand how governments work. It’s why the majority of the people on the Top 100 Lobbyists list have ties to a provincial or federal government.
The ability to capture the government’s attention is also key. That means heading an organization or company that has the government’s ear in terms of its priorities. In this case, the Conservative government is focused on energy and resource development, the economy, a digital strategy, innovation, international trade, and business and consumer interests, among others, which is why several lobbyists who represent these interests are on the Top 100 Lobbyists List. They will be the people helping to shape the public policy debate and influence decision making.
Lastly, all the people on the list are registered lobbyists. This left off people such as Norton Rose senior strategic adviser Derek Burney, who has been doing a lot of work on the innovation and trade files over the last year. Although not a registered lobbyist, insiders said he is still an influential ‘advocate’ for important public policy issues. This is the same for former Conservative Cabinet minister Jim Prentice, a VP at CIBC. He can be seen and heard in media, or at public policy conferences, speaking on international trade or other business issues.
And while not speaking directly to government, it’s certain that this Conservative government is listening to what he has to say.
After two months of consultations with numerous political insiders and government relations experts, The Hill Times presents its sixth annual Top 100 Lobbyists List for 2013. This year, instead of writing short profiles of all 100 top lobbyists, The Hill Times decided to feature the various aspects of lobbying in longer profiles.
However, all the people listed represent people who have influence with the current Conservative government, who are knowledgeable on the machinery of government and/or lead organizations that are engaged in public policy issues that are currently politically hot. There are also several new “up and comers” and in-house lobbyists who don’t necessarily represent the typical large, corporate Canadian industries, but who are successful in bringing to light important social policies. These are the Top 100 Lobbyists to watch in 2013.
Original Article
Source: hilltimes.com
Author: Bea Vongdouangchanh
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