Danny wanted to get rid of the Gary Ansteys of the world so he said we will have the legislature enact "lobbyist" legislation. Apparently that fell short when Dean MacDonald was lobbying for provincial funds for the fibre optic deal nevertheless there is a registry for everybody else.
In either case - seeing how Ryan and flunkies want to lay cards on the table let's see who has been and who is a lobbyist. Working the front-rooms in the back-room trying to get their clients some leverage with governments one way or the other. These are the people who have government's ear.
Who are they? Well many of them are politico's who have sucked up to some leader or party and are deemed to have a "close" relationship with a PM or Premier. Others are just our politicians - retired - who can do more for people after they get out.
For instance back in the Liberal days:
Gary Anstey was federally registered as a lobbyist for:
Kruger
Voisey's Bay
Petro-Canada
FPI
Husky Oil
Hibernia Management and Development
Iron Ore Company
North Atlantic Refiningand the list goes on...
Based on what was accomplished and all the perks and giveaways the people say the Liberals did under Tobin/Grimes et al. he basically wrote the Liberal Policy Book.
And these guys want a chance to do that again. Remember there was no provincial lobbyist registry at that time.
Winston Baker (remember him?)
He was registered as a lobbyist because some company wanted to buy the Newfoundland Dockyard Corporation.
Or how about Ed Roberts ( you know our Lieutenant Governor)
Well he has lobbied on behalf of the St. John's Port Corporation and in the registry was listed as a lobbyist for Mel Woodward's company (Coastal Shipping) from 1997 - 2005.
Then there's our Brian (Tobin) who is up there now lobbying for Rogers. He also lobbied on behalf of SeaRay dealers (boats and yachts) to avoid any retaliation from the US during the softwood lumber dispute. Of course he was also the lobbyist for the Canadian Cable Telecommunications Association. (Dean were you ever the head of that?)Brian - the so called Liberal with the really good Tory connections.
And John Crosbie - he lobbied for Texada land Corporation a real estate developer in BC. They bought up thousands of acres of land in an environmentally important area. Residents of the area were in the process of trying to preserve it when the purchase occurred. So I guess Texada needed a hand to sell the property to government - federal or provincial.
And this is just the tip of that iceberg. Where is John Fitzgerald - the fellow we pay to get things done in Ottawa. You know set up meetings etc. - what is he doing? dodging lobbyists?
This is how it works people - your MP's are useless - get a lobbyist. Apparently Tim Powers an unelected spin doctor is seen to have more influence with the Prime Minister than Loyola Hearn our Minister? What about our Minister of Energy - what about Kathy Dunderdale? Can you get a meeting or what? Any chance Dean MacDonald or Ed Martin can get in there?
And what is Tim exactly lobbying for? Does he know what the yet unreleased energy plan says?
This is just the federal scene. Let's really look at who is being paid to influence politicians.
When you try to take the feet out from under a citizen lobbying on behalf of people -unpaid - and in public - you should really remember who the real lobbyists are. You live in really big houses but they are made of glass.
4 comments:
Didn't you work for the beverage industry association on the smoking ban in bars?
I want to confirm that information to make sure if it is accurate. it would certainly be helpful to the discussion if you would make that clear.
Yes I did - as their researcher and media relations. That was made public - and I did not engage in Lobbyist activities as defined by the Act. The members of the Association arranged their own meetings - did their own lobbying.
It was made specifically clear that I did not and would not lobby.
Considering you've asked - Ed - who do you work for?
Sue - flesh out those devils who would do such a thing as lobby against the wishes of their own people. They are lower than pond scum.
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