The advocacy organization for Canada’s upstream oil and gas producers was the most active group on the federal lobbying scene in May, disclosures from the office of the commissioner of lobbying show.
The Canadian Association for Petroleum Producers filed 27 reports with the commissioner’s office last month, including two documenting communications with Liberal MP and parliamentary secretary to the national revenue minister Francesco Sorbara. CAPP also submitted reports documenting communications with four separate Liberal MPs, most notably, Peter Schiefke, parliamentary secretary to the environment minister.
IN APRIL: CAPP most active lobbying body in April, as Liberals moved forward with oil and gas aid package
The rest of the reports show communications with officials from Natural Resources Canada, the Department of Finance and Environment and Climate Change Canada, as well as Alberta Senator Doug Black and a senior advisor to Deputy Prime Minister and Intergovernmental Affairs Minister Chrystia Freeland.
CAPP was also the most active group on the federal lobbying scene in April, when it filed 41 reports with the commissioner’s office.
In mid-April, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau rolled out billions in new funding to help the oil and gas sector, which has been rocked by falling commodity prices. Oil prices, in particular, have since picked up speed since crashing to historic lows in late March and early April, as more economies worldwide begin to emerge from their pandemic-induced lockdowns.
When asked earlier this month about its lobbying activities, CAPP said in statement that its advocacy efforts were focused on supporting the oil and gas industry and maintaining the “reliable supply of natural gas and oil to Canadians as an essential service to heat their homes, operate their vehicles and provide the energy required for daily life during this crisis.”
“As one of Canada’s largest employers, industry is working with both federal and provincial governments to find the most effective ways to create immediate opportunities for employment to help all Canadians who are part of the energy industry,” says a statement attributed to CAPP’s vice president of government relations Shannon Joseph.
All registered lobbyists and organizations must file reports with the commissioner’s office detailing any communications with designated public office holders regarding their advocacy activities. The communications cover in-person meetings, as well as scheduled phone calls.
Cystic Fibrosis Canada, a national charity that supports research into treating cystic fibrosis (CF) and advocating for those with the illness, was the second most active body on the federal lobbying scene last month, racking up 23 communication reports.
The topic for all the communication reports was health. All but two of the reports documented communications with MPs. The other two showed communications with Kathryn Nowers, policy director for the health minister’s office, and…
Read More: Big oil advocate once again most active body on federal lobbying scene in
