When the federal Lobbying Act came into force in 2008, Vic Toews, then the President of the Treasury Board, declared the legislation “increased accountability in Ottawa” and provided “a more open and transparent government for all Canadians.”[1] The law, Mr. Toews added, would give Canadians more information about who is attempting to influence public policy.Not everyone agrees. Award-winning business journalist Andrew Nikiforuk has called the Lobbying Act “ineffectual” because, among other reasons, it does not require corporations to explain publicly how much money they are spending on their lobbying efforts.[2]Clearly, there mixed views about the place of lobbyists and how they are regulated in Canada. But understanding who the influential lobbyists are and the interests they represent can assist Canadians in understanding who is speaking to the government and even why governments may be prioritizing certain policies.Attempts to get a better understanding of who is pressuring the federal government and . . . → Read More: Illuminated By Street Lamps: Canadian lobbyists. Who They Are and What They Do.
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