Lobby Wrap: Fewest number of new registrations since mid-March -

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New registrations with the Office of the Commissioner of Lobbying dropped to 41 last week, the fewest recorded since mid-March, at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Four organizations were named in two new registrations each, including Chandler BioPharmaceutical Corp., which was named in new filings from consultants working for two different lobby firms.

LAST WEEK: Lobby Wrap: Air Canada, CHL lobbying for financial aid

Among lobby firms, Edelman won the week with four new registrations, followed by Hill+Knowlton with three and Summa Strategies and Strategies North Advisory Inc. with a pair each. By lobbyist, France Margaret Bélanger had the most new registrations with four. She works for those four inter-related Montreal arts events: Nuit Blanche, Montreal en Lumiere, Les Francofolies de Montreal and the International Jazz Festival. By consultant lobbyists, Kevin Bosch at Hill+Knowlton and Julia Fottinger at Edelman had the most registrations with a pair each.

All consultant lobbyists and most in-house lobbyists (those lobbying for the company they work for) must register with the Office of the Commissioner of Lobbying if they are lobbying designated public office holders. They must also submit monthly reports (known as communication reports) detailing all lobbying communications with designated public office holders.

The highlights

In recent agriculture registrations:

Robert Schuett of HSC and Associates Ltd. registered for Northern Climate Pathways Inc. They want to develop something like a nutrition label on food products except these labels would explain the environmental impact of the production of the product.

In recent COVID-19 financial support registrations:

David Valentin of Focus on Research registered for the National Ethnic Press and Media Council of Canada to seek out financial support. Last year, the organization received $750,000 from Canadian Heritage.

Kevin Bosch of Hill+Knowlton registered for Trans-Northern Pipelines to lobby on the company’s “liquidity needs during the COVID-19 crisis.” The company, based in Richmond Hill, Ont., operates pipelines in central Alberta (from Edmonton to Calgary) and in the south eastern Ontario to Montreal corridor. The pipelines delivers “refined petroleum products such as gasoline, diesel fuel, aviation fuel and heating fuel used by businesses and consumers,” according to its website.

France Margaret Bélanger registered on behalf of Nuit Blanche, Montreal en Lumiere, Les Francofolies de Montreal and the International Jazz Festival. She’s on the board that runs these cultural events. These organizations have been registered many times in the past few months seeking financial support because of the pandemic.

Dan Kruk, the executive director of Professional Footballers Association Canada, registered to lobby for financial support for pro soccer leagues and individual clubs. He also plans to discuss other issues like tax breaks, immigration for athletes and broader grants and contributions. A paid lobbyist, James Patrick of Jim Patrick and Associates, also registered on behalf of the association on the same topics.

EARLIER THIS MONTH:Lobby Wrap: New registrations surge to 74 last week amid COVID-19 pandemic

The eight-team Canadian Premier League has delayed the start of its second season because of the COVID-19 pandemic, while Major League Soccer (MLS), the top flight soccer league in North America, paused its season in the middle of March because of the outbreak. There are three Canadian teams in the MLS: Toronto FC, Montreal Impact and Vancouver Whitecaps.

In a similar vein, Robin MacLachlan and Adam Yahn of Summa Strategies registered on behalf of Diversified and Event-Funded National Sports Organizations in pursuit of financial relief on account of the COVID-19 outbreak. Sports represented by the coalition include soccer, curling, tennis, hockey, rugby and skating. Katherine Henderson of Curling Canada is listed as the CEO.

In recent COVID-19 medical research and biopharma registrations:

Jennifer Mossop of Mossop Media – J.F.M. Productions Inc. registered for Cinchy to discuss the company’s contract tracing application. The company received about $115,000 in funding from the federal and Ontario governments last year.

Jonathan Rose of Policy Concepts registered on behalf of Perefuse Medtec to discuss their geko devices that may help ill COVID-19 patients. Geko is a wearable muscle pump activator that improves blood flood through low-level electrical charges.

In recent COVID-19 supply chain and procurement registrations:

Hill+Knowlton’s Kevin Bosch registered for Marshall Canada. They want contracts to provide essential goods and services. Marshall is a global aerospace company that may provide maintenance support to the C-130 Hercules aircraft used by the Royal Canadian Air Force.

Julia Fottinger of Edelman registered for Canadian Hospitals Specialities Ltd. about government procurement of personal protective gear.

Fottinger and colleagues Kelly Hutchinson and Christopher Vivone also registered on behalf of MIP Inc. to look for government contracts for healthcare textiles. Last year MIP received $3,500 from the Quebec government.

In other COVID-19 registrations:

Jean-Rene Gagnon registered for a Quebec-based mobile broadcast production company REC4BOX INC., which wants funding from Heritage Canada to produce a show or event honouring health workers.

Martin Parent, president of the holding company Mondelez Canada, registered about health and safety measures in the post-COVID-19 world and recovery plans. They own a dozen well-known snack food product labels like Cadbury, Oreo, Ritz, Toblerone and so on.

Bluedrop Learning Networks was registered by David Mowat to lobby the Public Health Agency about an “immunity passport for COVID-19” and related technology solutions. Last year Bluedrop received about $340,000 in federal and New Brunswick funding.

In recent health registrations:

Douglas Richardson of Prairie Sky Strategy registered for Nobilitas Consulting Inc. about funding to develop a medical device for respiratory illness in children. Nobilitas is an engineering and project management company.

Jonathanan Grenier, the president of Gestion Imm-tech inc. registered as an in-house lobbyist. The company is looking for contracts in the health care sector to provide medical equipment and disinfectants.

Andre Ablinati of Earnscliffe Strategy Group registered for Anxiety Canada to seek financial support for virtual mental health services. Last year the organization received about $200,000 in funding from B.C. and Vancouver government agencies.

Chandler BioPharmaceutical Corp. was registered by Benoit Marier of Société Immobilière Domaine Nouvelle France S.E.N.C. and Michel Beaudoin of Michel Beaudoin & Associates to get a natural product number and about human clinical trials.

In recent Indigenous registrations:

Tyler Downey of Ensight Canada registered for Sweat Lodge Technologies. They want support to build a network of Indigenous owned businesses.

Communications reports

There were 187 communication reports filed last week.

Most active client organizations: