I would say that lobbying is not well understood.
I make a lot of presentations and, as soon as I say the word "lobby,” people roll their eyes. I find that unfortunate and I work hard to make people understand that it is a legitimate activity. It's the only way you can get the information you need to do your job.
So I would say that it's not always well understood. I think there is indeed an American influence that interferes with our work, but I'm working hard on that. The lobbyists who are registered in Canada know the rules. They are registered and there are not many violations of the Lobbyists' Code of Conduct.
I hope that, at some point, this perception can be improved.