Here’s a look back at news we covered this week:

Activists representing the autism community appeared on Parliament Hill today, issuing a call to the federal parties for development of a national autism strategy.

Andrew Kavchak, a retired federal civil servant and a parent of a child with autism, spoke at a press conference where he said that a major component of any autism strategy must include federal health funding for treatment.

The press conference was followed by a rally on Parliament Hill.

The Lobby Monitor produced a policy map, which took a closer look at the groups on the Hill talking about vaping and e-cigarettes. There are seven organizations with active files related to vaping. Within the last six months, lobbying activity by those groups was highest in June.

Public concern about the potential health impacts related to vaping has been on the rise in the last several months, with more than 1,000 reported vaping-related illnesses from the U.S. since March. The first confirmed case in Canada was announced on Sept. 27.

In “On Queen Street” news, Norm Kelly, a former politician who is known on social media as the “6 Dad,” joined Hill+Knowlton Strategies as an associate.

After more than 36 years serving Toronto as a city councillor and deputy mayor, Kelly is now assisting Hill+Knowlton clients as a part of the firm’s municipal public affairs team.

Kelly’s prominence on Twitter surged in 2015 when he supported Canadian rapper Drake during an online feud with American rapper Meek Mill. Today, Kelly has more than 700,000 online followers.

David Mulroney, a former Canadian ambassador to China, is arguing that Canada’s democratic institutions are at risk of being influenced by foreign governments. He suggested to The Lobby Monitor that Canada could minimize that risk through stronger rules for lobbyists and advocates in the public political space that would increase transparency.

Mulroney is advocating for a registry where former public office holders would be required to disclose any activities for which they are paid by foreign political entities.

In new registrations, broadcaster and philanthropist Evan Kosiner registered on the federal lobbyists’ registry for the first time on Sept. 24. Kosiner, whose career includes the launch of a Canadian specialty-shopping channel in 2014, is interested in speaking with the federal government about a possible broadcast service to assist visually impaired people.

He will be communicating with the CBC, Canadian Heritage and the CRTC about using a section of the Broadcast Act to require SiriusXM Canada to carry an audio-based radio guide that would provide visually impaired people with audible information about song titles and artists.

Saint-Augustin Canada Electric (STACE) registered for the first time on Oct. 1 with consultant Marc Desmarais of National Public Relations to discuss the impact of an importation tax on solar panels.

The company, based in Quebec, is a manufacturer of phase bus ducts, which are an alternative to power cables.

Desmarais will communicate with the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO), Infrastructure, Finance, the Canada Border Services Agency, and MPs.

After a 14-year absence, the Métis Settlements General Council (MSGC) returned to the registry with a file started on Sept. 27 with consultant Lisa Samson of StrategyCorp.

Samson’s colleagues Troy Sherman, Conal Slobodin and Andrew Steele were soon added on Sept. 30.

The MSGC, the governing authority of the eight Métis settlements in Alberta, is interested in talking to the federal government about the 2016 Supreme Court ruling in the Daniels v. Canada case. That ruling laid out that Métis and non-status Indians are considered “Indians” under the Constitution Act of 1867.

The StrategyCorp consultants will communicate with the Privy Council Office, Indigenous Services Canada, and Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada.

Editor's note: The Lobby Monitor will be closed October 14, 2019, for Thanksgiving. Publishing will resume October 15, 2019. We wish you a safe and happy Thanksgiving weekend.

New registry files posted between 2019-10-06 and 2019-10-10

Based on a search of the federal lobbyists' registry on Oct. 10 at 9:30 a.m.
 

New registrations posted between 2019-10-06 and 2019-10-10