Information & Ethics committee  The problem is that any solution brings its own issues and unintended consequences. If, as the bill was originally written, both sides independently file registrations, then at the end of each month—because it's all computerized and the computer system is working really well—the

Information & Ethics committee  If everyone's a lobbyist, no one's a lobbyist. But if you're not a DPOH, it's not an issue. If the goal is to bring transparency to the various groups that are influencing decisions, your challenge is where to put the fence. Who are you interested in finding out about, and who a

Information & Ethics committee  In my world—the world of registered consultant lobbyists—everything we do is regulated to the highest degree. What you are talking about with regard to reducing the 20% rule is increasing individual companies' or associations' requirements to register. You had better be careful w

Information & Ethics committee  I would say at the outset that without clear definitions of what we're talking about in terms of communication, you're going to run into problems. Is the communication a registerable communication or not? I think we could bring some clarity to that. For example, it's not registe

Information & Ethics committee  I think it is, but then again the other side of that is are we better off? Is that information of any use in terms of what we're trying to accomplish with the transparency objectives of the legislation? I don't mean to minimize the job the committee has; you are trying to balan

Information & Ethics committee  As long as there is due process, I don't have any issue with monetary penalties. I will say this, though, and I say this sincerely: if somebody is a registered consultant lobbyist and they get named in a report as being offside of these rules, I can't overstate the effect that ha

Information & Ethics committee  You make a good point, and I touched on this in the opening. Originally, the design of the system was that both sides report independently. Therefore, the commissioner's office simply reconciles the meetings, and if you get half of a meeting reported, then you know where to go an

Information & Ethics committee  If you look at what it used to be.... When I left politics, if you were a minister, there was a two-year ban. If you were a parliamentary secretary, there was a one-year ban, but it applied to files that you had handled in your portfolio. Maybe that was setting the bar too low. W

Information & Ethics committee  I was reading from the document that came out of the lobby commissioner's office. I didn't understand it either. The problem is that it's very complicated. At the very least, take travel out of there. It doesn't need to be included.

Information & Ethics committee  No, it's not. What our firm did when the legislation was first passed was to designate a compliance officer in the firm. We conducted and documented training so everybody knew what the rules were. We had a very close relationship with the commissioner's office. They were extremel

Information & Ethics committee  I don't think so. But going back to Mr. Angus's point, it would be a situation where all of a sudden you capture a lot of groups that traditionally haven't seen themselves as engaging in lobbying; they may see it as advocacy, or whatever name they want to use. I think the probl

Information & Ethics committee  I'd say that's why the inclusion of communication with decision-makers to effect outcomes I think demystifies.... It lays out exactly what we're talking about. Something is going to come out on who was involved in moving that balance point before it happened.

Information & Ethics committee  Well, you and I could be standing beside one another at the urinal and have a conversation and that would have to be registered. So I mean, that one, I think.... You people need to be streetwise. Is just going near a lobbyist going to pollute your minds to the sense that you're g

Information & Ethics committee  Okay. Sorry.

Information & Ethics committee  I will answer that, but I will say, too, that I have some sympathy for the commissioner, because I think the commissioner is in a position where they have implied responsibilities without the underpinning authorities. So I think the fact that the committee is going to look at thi