Commissioner of Lobbyists reviewing HVP activities?

Based on what Minister McGrath has been saying relative to discussions with Gene Coleman and other officials of Humber Valley Paving one would expect the Lobbyists Registration Act to be in play here.

Do the "negotiations" "discussions" talked about by Minister McGrath pertaining to Humber Valley Paving and the release of bonds constitute lobbying?

Subparagraph 2(1)(c)(xvi) of the Lobbyist Registration Act:

Based on what the Minister has said - I would consider the activities lobbying.



 (c)  "lobby " means to communicate with a public-office holder for remuneration or other gain, reward or benefit, in an attempt to influence

 (xvi)  public-office holders relating to the terms of a contract, the choice of a contractor, or the administration, implementation or enforcement of a contract...




Based on the importance to the company over the three month period wherein discussions - negotiations were taking place - one might need to review whether or not Gene Coleman was an in-house lobbyist for that period.

In-house lobbyist

        6. (1)  In this section,

             (a)  "employee " includes an officer who is compensated for the performance of his or her duties;

             (b)  "in-house lobbyist" means a person who is employed by an organization

                      (i)  20% of whose duties as an employee, as assessed in a 3 month period, are to lobby on behalf of that organization, or

                     (ii)  a part of whose duties as an employee is to lobby on behalf of that organization if the employee's duties to lobby together with the duties of other employees to lobby would constitute 20 % of time at work of one full time employee, assessed in a 3 month period, were those duties to lobby to be performed by only one employee; and

             (c)  "senior officer" means the most senior officer of the organization who is compensated for the performance of his or her duties.

             (2)  The senior officer of an organization which employs an in-house lobbyist shall file a return with the registrar

             (a)  within 10 days after the day on which that person becomes an in-house lobbyist; and

             (b)  within 30 days after the expiration of each 6 month period after the date of filing the previous return.

I see no such registration under the registry - so has the Commissioner of Lobbyists been asked to review this situation?