Information & Ethics committee  I think the process followed by Ms. Bélanger is a transparent process, in which there were several rounds of consultations. I believe that if comments are made to her regarding the possibility of improving the process further, she will certainly be very receptive.

Information & Ethics committee  Today's discussions and the questions I was asked related to subjects other than the revision of the code itself, so the answers I gave may certainly have differed from the commissioner's, because she was not asked for those comments.

Information & Ethics committee  Fundamentally, I think that responsibility for compliance with ethical rules lies first and foremost with public office holders. Governments, parliaments, must adopt rules that are consistent and complementary so that everyone knows what they are and is able to obey them. The lobbying oversight system should not fill the gaps in other oversight schemes that apply to the integrity or ethics of public office holders.

Information & Ethics committee  Actually, the Quebec code is enforceable. We believe that this is an important thing for lobbyists' conduct. I do believe that best practices would be to actually make this a regulation that is enforceable. I think the federal government at the federal level would also benefit from that.

Information & Ethics committee  It is very difficult to determine the ideal standard. We have done a relatively complete job with the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, the OECD, to identify best practices for the oversight of lobbying. I invite you to read the report that has been tabled concerning the Quebec act, with respect to ethics.

Information & Ethics committee  In fact, I have not done a specific analysis. I have commented on certain proposals made by the Commissioner of Lobbying, primarily in the first version of the code. I think it was a good code, in the first place, for overseeing lobbying at the federal level. Are there still improvements to be made?

Information & Ethics committee  I'm not sure I understand the question. You are talking about a firm that offers its services and we need to see the extent to which the federal act, a subject in which I am not an expert, applies to offering the services of a consulting firm. Could the rules of conduct be used to interpret the obligations of a consulting firm?

Information & Ethics committee  The code was adopted in 2004, two years after the Lobbying Transparency and Ethics Act was enacted. The code has never been officially revised. We have focused a lot of our activities on the reform of the act itself, because it contains profound biases and we think that in 2023, it is time to move to the next level of oversight and make sure the gaps are filled.

Information & Ethics committee  There has never been a major revision. The last amendment was in 2019, when the commissioner was given responsibility for the Registry of Lobbyists and for building a new disclosure platform. That responsibility formerly lay with the ministère de la Justice, and this created a two-headed system.

Information & Ethics committee  Again, I think the federal commissioner is trying to eliminate or manage problems that are actually present or are perceived at the federal level. The issue of political involvement, for example, has not come up in the broad discussions in Quebec. If I were asked how to proceed, I would answer that I always advocate the greatest transparency.

Information & Ethics committee  There is no definition in the Lobbying Transparency and Ethics Act. The Quebec act defines a lobbying activity as a communication by an individual on behalf of their enterprise, their organization, or a client, with the intention of influencing a decision by a public office holder.

Information & Ethics committee  Thank you, Mr. Chair. Members of the committee, thank you for inviting me to share the views of Lobbyisme Québec on the oversight of lobbying activities, and more specifically on the ethical rules that apply to the practice of lobbying. I humbly hope that by sharing our expertise and our research into lobbying best practices I will be able to contribute to your study.