Evidence of meeting #112 for Access to Information, Privacy and Ethics in the 44th Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was report.
A recording is available from Parliament.
Conservative
Michael Barrett Conservative Leeds—Grenville—Thousand Islands and Rideau Lakes, ON
With respect to the amount of time that lobbying is required to necessitate registration, how many hours a week in contact and communication with government does a company need to undertake to be required to register?
Commissioner of Lobbying of Canada
It's approximately eight hours a week. It's calculated at 20% of your time, and we look at it a month at a time, so it's about 30 hours a month.
Conservative
Michael Barrett Conservative Leeds—Grenville—Thousand Islands and Rideau Lakes, ON
Is that written or is that just the standard developed through precedents?
Commissioner of Lobbying of Canada
That is the standard developed by the office going back practically to when the office was first created, because those words are used in the act.
Conservative
Michael Barrett Conservative Leeds—Grenville—Thousand Islands and Rideau Lakes, ON
Okay, so it's eight hours a week, 32 hours a month. Is that about it?
Commissioner of Lobbying of Canada
There's too much lobbying that does not require registration, so this is another pitch to amend the Lobbying Act.
Everybody should know that I am looking at the interpretation bulletin around the words “significant part of the duties”, and I am considering amending that threshold.
Conservative
Michael Barrett Conservative Leeds—Grenville—Thousand Islands and Rideau Lakes, ON
I wrote you about a month ago regarding GC Strategies. This is the Liberal government's hand-picked favourite IT firm. They don't do work on the applications but collect a commission for connecting the government with unknown firms, like the giant KPMG with 10,000 employees and 40 corporate offices across Canada.
Can you tell us today if you're investigating GC Strategies or its principals for contravening the Lobbying Act?
Commissioner of Lobbying of Canada
As I told you in the letter, I'm very much aware of the facts of that case, and I cannot confirm whether I'm investigating. You know that I do that because I do not want to jeopardize a possible RCMP investigation.
Conservative
Michael Barrett Conservative Leeds—Grenville—Thousand Islands and Rideau Lakes, ON
Okay.
This two-man operation has said that they have devoted a significant part of what they do to contact and communication with the government—more than 80 hours per month. Were you aware of that previously or, like Canadians, did you learn that during the testimony of these individuals at committee?
Commissioner of Lobbying of Canada
GC Strategies was never registered, so I learned of all the activities like all other Canadians.
Conservative
Michael Barrett Conservative Leeds—Grenville—Thousand Islands and Rideau Lakes, ON
For clarity, are you able to confirm if Mr. Kristian Firth is being investigated by your office?
Conservative
Michael Barrett Conservative Leeds—Grenville—Thousand Islands and Rideau Lakes, ON
Thank you.
Kristian Firth admitted to meeting a host of government officials outside of offices, such as Paul Girard, who's the former chief information officer; Dan Gaudreau, a DG at Heritage; Jeff Lamirande, a program manager; Philippe Johnston, a former CIO; Marc Brouillard; Cameron MacDonald; Antonio Utano; Sevac Eskibashian; Ross Gordon; Gary Hobin; Chulaka Ailapperuma; and Gary Davis.
Should Kristian Firth of GC Strategies be investigated given that long list of names and the amount of lobbying that he says he's undertaken?
Commissioner of Lobbying of Canada
As I've said before, I'm aware of the facts. I know the list you're talking about, but I can't confirm at what stage this file is at.
Conservative
Michael Barrett Conservative Leeds—Grenville—Thousand Islands and Rideau Lakes, ON
How many investigations are currently ongoing with your office?
Commissioner of Lobbying of Canada
Right now we have one active investigation.
Conservative
Michael Barrett Conservative Leeds—Grenville—Thousand Islands and Rideau Lakes, ON
How many investigations have you paused after referring them to the Royal Canadian Mounted Police?
Commissioner of Lobbying of Canada
Right now there are four suspended. There were six suspended, but they've just returned two. With the RCMP, there are four investigations.
Conservative
Michael Barrett Conservative Leeds—Grenville—Thousand Islands and Rideau Lakes, ON
How many have been returned by the RCMP to your office that you referred to them?
Commissioner of Lobbying of Canada
I have been in office for six and a half years, and I have referred approximately 15. There have been two charges. They still have four. The math is that they returned the rest of them.
Conservative
Michael Barrett Conservative Leeds—Grenville—Thousand Islands and Rideau Lakes, ON
I have less than a minute left. I appreciate your responses.
I want to mention, while we're talking about lobbying in the context of the cost of living crisis, Don Guy, a senior Liberal who collects cheques from Loblaws. Last year, his company GT and Company met twice with the Prime Minister's director of policy, John Brodhead. Don Guy's daughter used to work in the Prime Minister's Office for Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. Their chief pollster, Dan Arnold, is paid by a Loblaws lobbyist. Tahiya Bakht is an in-house lobbyist for Loblaws who used to be the PM's regional adviser. Last year, she was able to get a meeting with Mr. Brodhead, her former colleague and the PM's director of policy. The PM's new marketing wizard, Max Valiquette, did marketing for Loblaws for four years.
When we wonder about the cost of living crisis we have and why the Liberals haven't grabbed that tiger by the tail, we need to look no further than many of these people, like Kevin Bosch and Julie DeWolfe. The list goes on.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative John Brassard
Thank you, Mr. Barrett.
Go ahead, Mr. Bains. You have six minutes, please.
Liberal
Parm Bains Liberal Steveston—Richmond East, BC
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thank you, Commissioner, for joining us today.
The federal lobbying regime sets requirements and standards for the transparent and ethical lobbying of federal officials. Do you believe these standards are known and respected?
Commissioner of Lobbying of Canada
I believe they are known. When I look at statistics, I believe that for the most part, yes, they are being respected.
Liberal
Parm Bains Liberal Steveston—Richmond East, BC
My colleague from across the way was talking specifically about GC Strategies. We know that they've been around. Mr. Firth and his partner have for over 20 years been working alongside various government officials. I'm curious about the name change.
Is changing a name from what they may have been operating under before to something else a way of circumventing lobbying rules in any way?