Information & Ethics committee  I'm sorry. I'm not sure I understood your question. From my perspective, if I know that a lobbyist—who's registered and whom I regulate—provides sponsored travel when prohibited, I can investigate and report to Parliament.

Information & Ethics committee  I'm aware of everything that's going on in the media. We have a team that goes through and looks at everything. I can tell you that everything you see, we're on it. However, for every trip, for every sponsored travel, for every reception, for every gift that's out there, the fi

Information & Ethics committee  Again, many public office holders are calling my office. I don't regulate whether you can or cannot accept a gift. That question can be asked of your next guests over the next hour. Whether or not that sponsored travel or that gift can be provided from a lobbyist, which is the f

Information & Ethics committee  I would argue that if you feel that it has enhanced your role as a member of Parliament, maybe you should. I cannot, in good conscience, say that it's okay for lobbyists to bring individuals whom they lobby on travel. Some of the groups you've mentioned are likely not register

Information & Ethics committee  It is for groups that are not registered to lobby. I regulate only lobbyists. If they don't meet the threshold to be registered as lobbyists, then they're not subject to the code of conduct for lobbyists.

Information & Ethics committee  That's interesting. I have groups that tell me it would be so much easier for them to register in one place or at least be subject to the same rules across the country. I do not believe that any commissioner of lobbying from across this country would be against that idea, because

Information & Ethics committee  Absolutely.

Information & Ethics committee  I don't know that I would agree that they're more lax. They're different.

Information & Ethics committee  We'll see where that goes.

Information & Ethics committee  Yes, I'm satisfied with the new code. Someone asked me recently if, in the event that I had to start that work over again, I would do certain things or enact certain rules differently, and the answer is no. The new code took effect six months ago. So far, we've received a lot of

Information & Ethics committee  Yes, absolutely.

Information & Ethics committee  I hope people are complying with the code. It must be said that the new code has only been in effect for six months. We get a lot of questions about receptions. Many receptions are mentioned in the newspapers. In some cases, we've been contacted; in others, we haven't, so I conta

Information & Ethics committee  I have 14 or 15 months left. My term ends in December 2024. So I have a little over a year left.

Information & Ethics committee  The act needs to be reviewed because there are plenty of things missing from it. I can't say it enough: There are some major gaps. Right now, many lobbying activities take place without needing to be registered. In addition, the means available for imposing sanctions are inadequ

Information & Ethics committee  I used to work a long time ago in the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner's office. Sponsored travel has been a concern from that perspective for a very long time. When I became the Commissioner of Lobbying, it concerned me that lobbyists, who expected something from tho