A British Columbia Supreme Court judge has ruled the province’s law requiring registration for political advertising is constitutional, even if no money on advertising has been spent.

The Election Act requires individuals and organizations wanting to sponsor election advertising to register with the province’s chief electoral officer. According to The Globe and Mail, Judge Bruce Cohen wrote, “The salutary effects of the impugned measure outweigh the deleterious effects [by increasing] the transparency, openness and accountability of B.C.’s electoral process and promotes an informed electorate.” The B.C. Freedom of Information and Privacy Association had argued the law discourages participation from individuals and groups without the means or ability to register.

On April 9, the Ontario, Canada Legislative Assembly held a second reading of Bill 179, which would amend the province’s Lobbyists Registration Act.

The bill, introduced on March 24, redefines “in-house lobbyist” to include paid directors as well as employees and paid directors whose lobbying duties, when combined with those of the employer’s other employees and paid directors, would constitute a significant part of the duties of one employee or director.

The bill requires a single filing of returns by the senior officer of the employer instead of requiring in-house lobbyists themselves to file returns.

Additional amendments to the filing procedures include requiring returns to indicate whether the lobbyist was previously in public office, what the goal of the reported lobbying was, and to provide the name of any minister, member, or member of the minister’s or member’s staff who was lobbied.

The bill also increases penalties for convictions of any offense from a maximum fine of $25,000 to a maximum fine of $25,000 for a first offense and a maximum fine of $100,000 for subsequent offenses.

A special election was held in Quebec on April 7, resulting in a new majority government.

Premier Pauline Marois, leader of the Parti Quebecois, called the election hoping her party would garner a majority of seats within the National Assembly. However, the Liberals took 70 of the 125 seats, giving them a majority of seats in the legislature.

Marois lost her own seat in the Charlevoix-Cote-de-Beaupre riding, causing her to step down as the leader of the Parti Quebecois. Liberal Leader Phillipe Couillard will become the new Premier of Quebec.

After more than two years of debate, the Legislative Assembly of Saskatchewan passed a bill containing a lobbyist registration scheme. Under the new law, lobbyists, as defined therein, must register and file activity reports online.

There are several notable provisions excepting some individuals from the registration requirement, including officers, directors, or employees, when acting in their official capacity, of the Saskatchewan Urban Municipalities Association, the Saskatchewan Association of of Rural Municipalities, and the Saskatchewan School Boards Association. The bill also contains revolving door restrictions, prohibiting former public officials from lobbying within one year of leaving office.

The act becomes effective upon proclamation by the Lieutenant Governor. Justice Minister Gordon Wyant estimates no such proclamation will be issued for at least nine months, as the province must still develop protocols to administer and enforce the new law.

The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) is investigating allegations of illegal lobbying by a former senior adviser to Prime Minister Stephen Harper in connection with work for an energy advocacy group in Calgary. The RCMP says after Bruce Carson left the Office of the Prime Minister (PMO) he was paid for his top level involvement with federal contacts and to influence a new national energy strategy.

As a past senior adviser to Harper, Carson is subject to a five-year ban on lobbying under the Lobbying Act.

Lobbying Commissioner Karen Shepherd initiated a probe of Carson’s lobbying activities for the Canada School of Energy and Environment and a business-funded group called the Energy Policy Institute of Canada (EPIC). Shepherd referred the allegations to the RCMP in July 2012.

EPIC’s lawyers assumed the group would be in compliance if Carson’s job description was to communicate “for the purpose of information exchange and not to represent EPIC’s view, opinion, or to ask for a decision from government.”

Pauline Marois, the premier of Quebec, has called a general election to be held on April 7. Currently, elections in Quebec only take place upon a decree by the premier. Beginning in 2016, elections will have set dates.

When an election is called in Quebec, the legislative assembly dissolves (adjourns) and voters chose an entirely new one. Candidates have 33 days to campaign for the upcoming election.

Since Quebec has a parliamentary system of government, the leader of the party who garners the most assembly seats becomes the premier.

The Ottawa, Ontario ethics code is being evaluated today against the backdrop of Toronto Mayor Rob Ford’s recent public indulgences and transgressions. At an event being held at Carleton University titled “Could Rob Ford’s Antics Happen in Ottawa?” Mayor Jim Watson and Integrity Commissioner Robert Marleau will assess whether the city code helps earn the public trust.

According to the Ottawa Star, the discussion will include questions such as whether the ethics code goes beyond legal compliance to address ethical conduct, whether councillors are held accountable for ethical transgressions, and whether elected officials are treated differently than municipal employees.

Ford has received intense media scrutiny for admitting to smoking crack cocaine while holding the position of mayor, using lewd language when talking to the media, and engaging in public episodes of apparent drunkenness.

The Harper government introduced the Fair Elections Act to amend the Canada Elections Act on Tuesday, February 4.

Bill C-23 will increase contribution limits to political parties from $1,200 to $1,500, increase penalties to $100,000 for intentional violations by corporations, and will shift decision-making powers regarding investigations from the Chief Electoral Officer to an independent panel.

Former Quebec premier, Jean Charest, is accused of accepting $3,000 from a lobbyist while in office. The payment occurred just days before the 2008 general election and was given by a senior executive at a windmill manufacturing company.

Charest denies the allegation, according to current premier Phillipe Couillard. The allegation stems from the testimony of Louis-Pierre Lafortune, who was an investor in the same windmill manufacturing company.

The lobbyist who allegedly delivered the check to Charest has not been identified. The windmill company went bankrupt in 2010.

Drs. Gaétan Barrette and Frédéric Desjardins have been accused of engaging in illegal lobbying of former Quebec Health Minister Philippe Couillard.

Barrette and Desjardins wrote a letter to Couillard regarding the ownership of private radiology clinics at a time the government was adopting legislation to regulate them. At the time they wrote the letter, neither Barrette nor Desjardins was registered with Quebec’s Registry of Lobbyists.

Prosecutors are alleging the doctors engaged in “an act of lobbying” because they could influence the legislative agenda. Barrette and Desjardins are challenging the accusation on the basis of freedom of expression. If found guilty of illegal lobbying, the doctors are subject to fines ranging from $500 to $25,000.

Today, by-elections were called in Ontario, Canada, for the provincial electoral districts of Niagara Falls and Thornhill. The election for both seats will be held on February 13.

Kim Craitor resigned from his seat as MPP for Niagara Falls in September 2013. Peter Shurman resigned his assembly seat representing Thornhill last December.

Saskatchewan Energy and Resources Minister Tim McMillan is spearheading an effort to overhaul the disadvantageous procurement practices of other Canadian provinces. Specifically, McMillan wants to see the preference for local suppliers abolished, which he believes is in violation of trade obligations between provinces. In Ontario, for example, a local company would be awarded a contract even if its bid was slightly higher than the bid of a non-Ontario company.

A preliminary legal opinion exists on the issue. A final legal opinion is needed to resolve the issue, and before taking the concern to a final resolution panel, the accusing province must inform the offending province of its alleged violation and give an opportunity to correct the practice.

McMillan, along with about two dozen Saskatchewan companies, has asked for action from the government.

The Cornwall, Ontario city government’s website has been updated with a section dedicated to the 2014 Municipal Elections.

Information on the Canadian municipality’s website includes a list of the nominated candidates, candidate nomination forms, and other resources. Additional material will be added to the website, such as include voter registration information, election employment opportunities, and key election dates. City clerk Helen Finn, as quoted the Cornwall Seaway News, said, “The website will be updated weekly, or as required.”

The next municipal election is scheduled for Monday, October 27, 2014.

If you’re planning to lobby north of the border, there are a number of changes on the horizon you should be aware of. This fall saw quite a bit of activity for Canadian lobbying legislation, with two provinces introducing laws to create a lobbyist registration framework and one making substantial changes to its existing law.

Saskatchewan’s Lobbyist Act would create a registrar of lobbyists, provide requirements for filing returns, which is the Canadian term for the filing for both registrations and reports, and establish definitions and penalties. The act also provides for online filing of returns. The legislation is based on the recommendations of the Standing Committee on Intergovernmental Affairs and Justice issued in 2012.

Similarly, New Brunswick’s Lobbyists Registration Act establishes a basic framework for filing returns and penalties for violations.  Prior attempts at creating a lobbyist registry failed in both 2007 and 2011. Saskatchewan and New Brunswick are two of the last three Canadian provinces without lobbying laws; the three Canadian territories also do not have lobbying laws. Both governments cited a desire for providing more transparency for their citizens as the impetus for the legislation.

Ontario introduced an Act to Amend the Lobbyists Registration Act, giving a new definition for grassroots lobbying, giving more specificity on what constitutes an undertaking to lobby, requiring in-house lobbyists to file monthly reports if the lobbying is directed at a high level public office holder, and adding a requirement to report campaign contributions made under the Election Finances Act. Additional changes include revolving door restrictions and changes to penalties. The bill is currently in the Standing Committee on Regulations and Private Bills.