Who cries for struggling lobbyists? The Hill Times!
The birdcage-liner’s Derek Abma cranked up the waterworks May 22, noting that many Hill weasels are having difficulty scoring knee benders with the Liberal minister of their choice. Lobbying communications reports were down a depressing 18 per cent this April over last.
“We have to work twice as hard to get our meetings, whether they’re with MPs or ministers,” whinged one anonymous arsecreeper from a not-for-profit. Whether ministers are focused on their mandate letter deliverology or preparing for that seemingly always-imminent cabinet shuffle, it’s hard out there for a special interest pimp.
But tell that to Loblaw Madame President Sarah Davis, shuffled in January to the top ‘Blaw job when scion Galen Weston The Lesser took his birthright as CEO.
There are times of red-eyed, dry-mouthed excitement at the grocer. Their Shoppers chain applied in October to distribute medical marijuana, and while young Galen has been coy about any plans to hawk Memories of Montego Bay to recreational shoppers, Sarah’s aggressive lunching with the federales, particularly at Health Canada, continues without any of the roadblocks suffered by lesser vested interests.
Herewith, the past six months of Loblaws-Liberal lobby lambadas.
Suck-up in aisle five!
Nov. 24, 2016:
– Health Minister “Mary” Jane Philpott
– Environment Minister Catherine McKenna (Chief of Staff Marlo Reynolds, c.f.*)
– Ag Minister Lawrence MacAulay (Maxime Dea, Director of Policy and Alison Porter, Policy Advisor, c.f.)
– Vincent Garneau, Director of Parliamentary Affairs to then-Global Affairs Minister Stephane Dion
December 6, 2016:
– Randeep Sarai, MP, Liberal Pacific Caucus Chair
– Hedy Fry, MP, Heritage Committe Chair, formerly Health Vice-Chair (subject matter of communication: Health)
– Bill Blair, MP, Parliamentary Secretary. to Justice Minister Jody Wilson-Raybould
January 27, 2016:
– Cyrus Reporter, Senior Policy Advisor, PMO**
February 3, 2017:
– Health Minister Jane Philpott (Policy Advisor Kathryn Nowers, c.f.)
March 28, 2017:
– Gerald Butts, Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister
– Genevieve Hinse, Chief of Staff to Health Minister Jane Phillpott
– Paul Glover, President, Canadian Food Inspection Agency
April 5, 2017:
– Alain Berinstain, Director of Policy, and Gurveen Chada, Policy Advisor to Transport Minister Marc Garneau
– Alison Porter, Policy Advisor to Agriculture Minister Lawrence MacAulay
April 6, 2017:
– Adam Baylin-Stern, Policy Advisor, and Jocelyn Lubczuk, Special Assistant to Environment Minister Catherine McKenna
– Christopher Berzins, Director of Policy, Global Affairs Minister Chrystia “Britney” Freeland
April 21, 2017:
– Ruby Sahota, MP, Ontario Liberal Caucus Chair
*catching farts
** in the noted amphibian’s last days before returning to the primordial ooze at Gowling WLG
