Concrete, Gold and Learning Led Lobbyists in December
Heidelberg Materials, Agnico Eagle Mines and Riipen are among the companies that registered the most communications with public office holders
My apologies for skipping the monthly Lobby Report last month, but December was an abnormally busy time here at Do Not Pass Go.
We’re back at it this week, looking at who lobbied who throughout that very month of December. These reports are an ongoing work in progress, which I expect and hope over time will provide some insights on why events and decisions happen as they do.
The top five lobbyists by total communications reports overall for the month were the Chicken Farmers of Canada (76), the Canadian Chamber of Congress (62), the Canadian Renewable Energy Association (61), Heidelberg Materials and its Canadian subsidiary, and Agnico Eagle Mines.
Since we’re all about corporate concentration and influence here, let’s skip over the likes of the chicken farmers and the solar panel aficionados and focus on the top five actual companies.
Heidelberg Materials and Heidelberg Materials Canada (49)
Germany’s Heidelberg, one of the largest cement companies in the world, has been on something of a buying spree in Canada.
In October, the company announced the acquisition of Island Aggregates, the last remaining aggregate site on Vancouver Island. That followed the July acquisition of Edmonton-based construction materials company Burnco Rock Products and a deal in June for assets of Concrete Crushers, a recycling firm based in Calgary.
In March last year, the Ministry of Innovation, Science and Economic Development (ISED) announced a partnership with Heidelberg regarding the company’s carbon capture, utilization and storage (CCUS) plant in Edmonton.
Of the company’s December lobbying communications, the large majority (37) were with ISED, with the disclosures reporting that Heidelberg is seeking funding from the department for its plant, which it says will reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
Agnico Eagle Mines (44)
Toronto-based gold producer Agnico met with officials from Natural Resources Canada and the Privy Council a handful of times, with most of its reported communications for the month happening on Dec. 2.
According to its reports, the company met with government officials to “raise awareness… for major infrastructure in the Arctic, including high-speed internet infrastructure in Nunavut to support industry and community needs and enhance opportunities and economic linkages.”
Also noteworthy is that the company announced on Dec. 16 that it had invested a further $12.5 million in Osisko Metals, which has holdings in the Northwest Territories and Quebec, to raise its stake in the Montreal-based mining company to 10 per cent.
Riipen (31)
Vancouver-based Riipen, an online education platform provider, blitzed the hill between Dec. 1 and 3 with a number of communications focusing on Employment and Social Development Canada, as well as a dozen Members of Parliament. The company is seeking funding and support to “deliver job and skills learning opportunities for learners across Canada,” as per its reports.
In an iPolitics op-ed in August, company co-founder Dana Stephenson pitched his company’s platform as an answer to the government’s stated plan of better matching skilled talent with job opportunities.
Abbott Laboratories (24)
Abbott, a medical devices and health-care company based in Abbott Park, Illinois, reported all of its communications with one single department: Indigenous Services Canada. The company was relatively transparent in its lobbying motives, with communications reports saying it was seeking public reimbursement of its FreeStyle Libre glucose-monitoring sensors.
A spokesperson for the company explains the Indigenous Services lobbying thusly: “Most publicly funded diabetes‑related medical devices are reimbursed by provincial and territorial programs. However, the federal government also offers coverage through national programs, including the Non‑Insured Health Benefits program for registered First Nations and recognized Inuit, administered by Indigenous Services Canada.”
Also in early December, Health Canada issued a product recall on FreeStyle Libre 3 Plus sensors, as they may provide incorrect glucose readings, with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration following suit last week.
Ueushuk Fisheries (23)
Ueushuk Fisheries, based in Happy Valley-Goose Bay, Newfoundland, is wholly owned by the Innu Development Limited Partnership, which itself is the economic arm of the Innu in Labrador.
The company met with representatives from Fisheries and Oceans Canada as well as the Prime Minister’s Office on Dec. 17 and 18 to “conclude the fisheries table of the Nation’s treaty process,” as per its reports.
Top Five Individuals Lobbied
Rounding out our December Lobby Report are the five public office holders who logged the most lobbyist communications. They are:
33: Matthew O’Connell, deputy director of financial sector policy, Finance Canada, who met with a broad array of lobbyists including those from Heidelberg (mentioned above), Rogers, Microsoft and several banks.
28: Yasmin Atassi, senior policy advisor for ISED, whose communications were dominated by automakers including Honda and Ford and the Canadian Vehicle Manufacturers Association.
26: Galen Richardson, senior advisor of stakeholder relations for the Privy Council Office, who met with the Canadian Renewable Energy Association, Disney, Loblaw, Nestle and others.
26: David McFarlane, director of policy for ISED, who met broadly, including with the Canadian Renewable Energy Association, Chrysler, Loblaw, Amazon and Cogeco.
25: Erin O’Brien, assistant deputy minister of Natural Resources, who met with energy and resource companies including Shell, Enbridge and Suncor.
One wrinkle of note in these lobbying communications is a number of late reports, with some significantly overdue. Greenpeace Canada, for example, didn’t disclose a pair of meetings from July until last month.
A spokesperson for the Commissioner of Lobbying Nancy Belanger says it is an offence to file communication reports later than 15 days after the end of the month in which the communication occurred, though late filings are accepted to increase transparency. An investigation is conducted only when necessary to ensure future compliance.
“Commissioner Belanger continues to advocate for amendments to the Lobbying Act that would introduce a broader range of sanctions,” the spokesperson says.
“This would provide greater flexibility in applying remedies that are both appropriate and proportionate to the nature of the incident of non-compliance, such as instances of late filings, ensuring a more effective and responsive enforcement framework.”
Fascinating how Heidelberg's buying spree times up with its CCUS funding push. The carbon capture angle is a smart play given how concrete production is a massive emissions source, but the real story seems to be market consolidation happening quietly under the sustainability narrative. I've seen similar patterns where enviromental credits become the justification for horizontal intergration that otherwise might face more scrutiny.
Commissioner Belanger’s call for sanctions points to a massive hole in our transparency laws. Currently, she cannot fine lobbyists who file their paperwork late. She can only write a report to Parliament. This "name and shame" approach clearly isn't enough to stop major players from delaying their disclosures. If we want a registry that actually works, the Commissioner needs the power to issue real fines.