Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Commissioner Harvey, welcome.
As Ms. Lapointe said, the Commissioner of Lobbying made 21 recommendations, including 15 that are modelled on your Lobbyists Transparency Act. My questions reflect a concern about comparisons between the two acts.
I'd like to talk about prohibitions. In recommendation 15, which relates to the five-year restriction on lobbying in Canada, the commissioner recommends the following:
Amend the Act to harmonize the five-year restriction on lobbying so that all former designated public office holders are prohibited from engaging in any lobbying activities for the duration of their five-year restriction on lobbying, regardless of whether they work as a consultant or for an organization or corporation. Currently, former designated public office holders who are employed by a corporation may lobby up to a significant part of their own work.
Your Lobbyists Transparency Act includes a two-year lobbying prohibition for former public office holders. As I said, Canada's Lobbying Act sets out a five-year prohibition.
What do you think of a five-year prohibition?
Do you think it's too long?
Why did British Columbia decide on a two-year prohibition?
Are there any exemptions in the enforcement of the two-year prohibition in British Columbia? If so, under what criteria?