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The purpose of the Lobbyists Registration Act is to contribute in an important way to confidence in the integrity of government decision-making. This purpose was reinforced throughout 2006 as Members of Parliament and Senators discussed and debated Bill C-2, the Federal Accountability Act. On December 12, 2006, Bill C-2 received Royal Assent, setting the stage for amendments to the Lobbyists Registration Act and changes in the work of the Office of the Registrar of Lobbyists. The Lobbyists Registration Act will be renamed the Lobbying Act and will include:
Work to prepare for and implement these and other changes brought by the Federal Accountability Act will be included in each of the three priority areas for the Office during the planning period.
The Registry of Lobbyists is our principal instrument of transparency. Accessible over the internet, it is well-known and well-used by lobbyists, journalists, public office holders, citizens and others. The immediate priority for the planning period will be to enable the Registry to accommodate the increased disclosure requirements of the Lobbying Act. Improvements to the search capabilities of the Registry are also planned.
Increasing awareness of the Lobbyists Registration Act and when it is in force, the Lobbying Act, is key to increasing compliance. We will continue our current outreach efforts and will develop a comprehensive education and awareness strategy for the Lobbying Act aimed at public office holders, lobbyists and those who employ them.
There are consequences for failing to comply with federal lobbying law. These penalties are doubled under the Lobbying Act. Several investigations are underway now, and with the increased enforcement powers that will be available to the Commissioner of Lobbying, more activity in this area can be expected. Additional resources will be assigned to reviews and investigations within the Office, and relationships with the RCMP will be strengthened.
I am confident that the work set out in this Report will play a key role in ensuring that the intent of Parliament in enacting Canada's federal lobbying legislation is respected.
Michael Nelson
Registrar of Lobbyists
I submit for tabling in Parliament, the 2007-2008 Report on Plans and Priorities (RPP) for the Office of the Registrar of Lobbyists.
This document has been prepared based on the reporting principles contained in the Guide for the Preparation of Part III of the 2007-2008 Estimates: Reports on Plans and Priorities and Departmental Performance Reports:
Michael Nelson
Registrar of Lobbyists
Reason for Existence
The Office of the Registrar of Lobbyists's mandate is derived from the Lobbyists Registration Act. Its purpose is to ensure transparency and accountability in the lobbying of public office holders with a view to contributing to confidence in the integrity of government decision making.
2007-2008 | 2008-2009 | 2009-2010 |
---|---|---|
$4.3 | $4.3 | $4.3 |
2007-2008 | 2008-2009 | 2009-2010 |
---|---|---|
24 | 24 | 24 |
Name | Type |
---|---|
1. Update the Registry and enhance its transparency | Ongoing |
2. Increase awareness of Act and Code requirements | Ongoing |
3. Pursue enforcement of the Act and the Code and communicate the results achieved | Ongoing |
Planned Spending | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
(Thousands of dollars) | Expected Results | 2007-2008 | 2008-2009 | 2009-2010 | Contributes to the following priority |
Strategic Outcome: | Transparency and accountability in the lobbying of public office holders contribute to confidence in the integrity of government decision-making. | ||||
Registration of Lobbyists | 7,500 active registrations | 2,395 | 2,395 | 2,395 | Priority No. 1 |
Education and Research | 10% increase over previous fiscal year | 899 | 899 | 899 | Priority No. 2 |
Reviews and Investigations under the Lobbyists Registration Act and the Lobbyists' code of Conduct | At least 80% of complaints received result in the initiation of an enforcement action | 1,039 | 1,039 | 1,039 | Priority No. 3 |
The Office's operating environment has changed substantially over the past two years. Structurally, the Office has moved from being one element of a large organization within Industry Canada, to having the status of a stand-alone department within the Treasury Board portfolio. Even the Lobbyists Regisration Act itself has changed during this period, with amendments coming into force mid-way through 2005. These amendments contributed to a dramatic increase in the number of registrations. Finally, there has been a total change in staff - every member of the Office's current staff has been hired since the summer of 2004.
The Office and its role will change further with the coming into force of the Federal Accountability Act's lobbying provisions. Internally there will be increased responsibilities to manage as a fully independent entity. Externally, there will be a need to assist public office holders, lobbyists, their clients, and others in understanding the Lobbying Act while carrying out an expanded investigation mandate.
The Office will deal with the challenges of this evolving operating environment by integrating sound business planning, risk management and human resource planning in each of its priority areas for the planning period.
Priority #1: Update the Registry and enhance its transparency. The Registry of Lobbyists is the legislation's principal instrument of transparency. Accessible over the internet, it is well-known and well-used by lobbyists, journalists, public office holders, citizen and others. However, when the on-line Registry was launched in 1996, it was not designed for the volumes of data it now contains. Increased disclosure requirements in the Lobbying Act cannot be implemented without major system re-design. $1.5 million will be spent in 2007-2008 to implement this redesign, of which $970 thousand will be new funding and the remainder will come from existing reference levels. $970 thousand will be spent on enhancing Registry operations in 2008-2009 and on-going. This planned spending relates to the Registration of Lobbyists program activity. The Office will work with its information technology service provider to put in place a project management regime to control costs and schedule, and to ensure quality control.
Priority #2: Increase awareness of Act and Code requirements. Increasing awareness of the Lobbying Act, including how it operates and who needs to register, is key to increasing compliance. The Lobbying Act will bring many changes that will need to be explained to a variety of audiences. The Office will develop a comprehensive education and awareness strategy to enhance its current outreach efforts using existing funds from its reference levels. Maximum use will be made of partnerships and information technology in order to leverage the Office's outreach capacity.
Priority #3: Pursue enforcement of the Act and the Code and communicate the results. The emphasis in Priority 2 above, will be on assisting those who intend to comply with the Lobbying Act. Priority 3 is aimed at those who do not comply and those who are considering not complying. The Office will enhance its capacity to monitor media and other sources for indications of illegal or unethical lobbying activity through the use of electronic monitoring tools. Existing funds from the Office's reference levels will be used for this priority. Outcomes of reviews and investigations will be publicized, while respecting the Privacy Act and other appropriate legislation, and will be integrated with educational materials where appropriate.
The Lobbyists Registration Act is about much more than simply creating a public registry. Parliamentarians intended the Lobbyists Registration Act to contribute in an important way to confidence in the integrity of government decision-making. The Lobbying Act will provide for a strong regime of transparency and accountability for those who communicate with public office holders with respect to a wide range of government decisions on legislation, regulations, policies, programs, grants, contributions and other areas of importance. Through administration and enforcement of federal lobbying legislation, the Office will contribute to all Government of Canada Outcome areas.