Regulating lobbying/Canada

Canada has introduced some of the strictest laws regulating the activities of lobbyists.

2006 Amendments

On December 12 2006 the Federal Accountability Act became law, which amended sections of the Lobbyists Registration Act of 1996. One of the amendments was to change the title of the legislation to the Lobbying Act. [1]

The key amendments include:

• the establishment of a Commissioner of Lobbying to investigate possible breaches of the act; the amendments also allow for the prosecution of possible breaches to be extended from 2 to 10 years;
• the introduction of the classification of Designated Public Office Holder (DPOH); those on this list can't become a registered lobbyist within five years of leaving public service;
• monthly disclosure by lobbyists of specified lobbying activity;
• a ban on success fees; the government has also promised to amend the Financial Administration Act "to require that all government contracts and agreements contain provisions that prohibit the payment of contingency fees to a lobbyist specific to that transaction";
• doubling the financial penalties for breaches of the act. [2]

Public Registry of Lobbyists

Website: http://www.orl-bdl.gc.ca/epic/site/lobbyist-lobbyiste.nsf/en/h_nx00012e.html

Website

Web: http://www.orl-bdl.gc.ca/epic/site/lobbyist-lobbyiste.nsf/en/home

Other SourceWatch Resources

• Lobbyists' Code of Conduct (Canada)
• Regulating lobbying

External links

• Treasury Board of Canada, "Canada's New Government Launches Consultations on New Regulations Under the Lobbyists Registration Act: Canada's New Government is delivering on its commitment to Implement the Federal Accountability Act", Media Release, February 22, 2007.
• Peter Mares, "Lobbyists unite", The National Interest, ABC Radio National, March 11, 2007.

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