On December 13, a bill was entered in the Legislative Assembly of New Brunswick prohibiting sitting lawmakers from engaging in lobbying in New Brunswick or elsewhere during and for 12 months after their tenure in office.

Additionally, after a member is first sworn in, the member would be prohibited from being employed in or entering into a personal service contract with a business or organization engaging in lobbying in New Brunswick or elsewhere. The prohibition to lobbying for the 12 months after leaving office applies to “lobbying in New Brunswick or elsewhere in relation to a matter having a real and substantial connection to New Brunswick.”

Bill 38, An Act to Amend the Members’ Conflict of Interest Act, also creates a detailed definition of lobbying, which includes communications with public office holders in attempts to influence legislative proposals, public bills, grants, and other matters, arranging meetings between public office holders of any jurisdiction and another person, and communicating with public office holders in an attempt to influence the awarding of government contracts.

Lobbyists have until October 1 to file their first registration and return under New Brunswick’s new lobbying law. Because of some reported difficulties in filing, Integrity Commissioner Alexandre Deschênes extended the initial July deadline for filing. “After consulting widely, it is my view that the lobby registry system needs further improvements to allow easier access for lobbyists and to be more meaningful for public inspection,” said Deschênes in a news release.

The Office of the Integrity Commissioner, an independent office of the Legislative Assembly of New Brunswick, is responsible for administering the Lobbyists’ Registration Act.

On May 5, the third session of the 58th Legislative Assembly of New Brunswick, Canada adjourned, passing legislation lowering the political contribution limit to $3,000 from $6,000.

Additionally, the Local Governance Act and the Community Planning Act were enacted, replacing the Municipalities Act and an older Community Planning Act.

The Legislative Assembly is scheduled to reconvene on Tuesday, October 24, 2017.

The Third Session of the 58th Legislative Assembly of New Brunswick adjourned on February 17. The legislature next meets on March 14, with an expected adjournment date of May 5.

Lawmakers continued to consider governmental ethics legislation, including bills to amend the Members’ Conflict of Interest Act, the Lobbyists’ Registration Act, and the Crown Construction Contracts Act. On February 16, the Act to Amend the Political Process Financing Act, which would have prohibited political contributions from corporations and trade unions, was defeated.

Premier Brian Gallant has again questioned a long running delay in implementing a lobbyist registry in the province. The Legislative Assembly in New Brunswick passed the Lobbyists’ Registration Act in May but, in order to take effect, the cabinet must first proclaim the act and promulgate regulations for its operation.

The act is similar to the federal government and other provinces in requiring lobbyists to register publicly, disclose who they represent as well as who they meet with and what topics are discussed.

It has been seven years since Premier Shawn Graham first initiated a push for a law regulating lobbyists.

The Legislative Assembly of New Brunswick convened July 29, 2014, for a one day special session to address pension changes for retirees.

The Assembly plans to amend the Pension Benefits Act to include retirees from Fraser Papers, a local pulp mill that filed for bankruptcy in 2009, in an increased pension payout scheme.

More than 1,200 retirees will benefit from the amendment.

The day before scheduled adjournment, New Brunswick’s Legislative Assembly approved the Lobbyists’ Registration Act, establishing a lobbyist registry for the province.

The Act establishes a registrar of lobbyists and outlines requirements for registration by consultant and in-house lobbyists.

The province attempted to create a registry a number of times over the last several years, but failed because of financial concerns and technical complications.