In its April 2012 report on the statutory review of the Lobbying Act, this committee recommended that an amended Lobbying Act “Impose an explicit ban on the receipt of gifts from lobbyists.” In its September 2012 response to this committee’s report, the government committed to pursuing a prohibition on lobbyists giving gifts to public office holders, and to rules specifying the value and nature of what types of gifts would be permitted and prohibited.
As it is this committee that will review upcoming changes to the Lobbying Act, which the government has signalled may include some additional restrictions on gifts from lobbyists to public office holders, you will have an opportunity to ensure that the rules on what a lobbyist can offer a public office holder are aligned with the rules on what a public office holder can accept from a lobbyist.
GRIC takes no position whatsoever at this time on what the definitions under the Lobbying Act should be when it comes to the value and nature of gifts that lobbyists can offer to public office holders. But we strongly recommend that you take the opportunity to ensure that the Conflict of Interest Act reflects the same definitions on the value, and nature, and acceptability of gifts that public office holders can accept from lobbyists, to avoid any confusion and conflict between the two statutes.