Wednesday, March 10, 2010

Lobbyist Registry


As reported in The Spectator, the accountability and transparency committee asked legal staff to come up with a definition for lobbying. The definition is expected to be sent to a sub-committee, which would include the Mayor, councillors, members of the community and city staff.


Its intent is to make Hamilton municipal government more open and transparent. In 2008, Toronto became the first city in Canada to create a lobbyist registry. They define a lobbyist as someone who represents an individual or organization that communicates with public office holders about council decisions. The city solicitor says he will likely use Toronto's definition as a starting point.

What do you think of the definition and the intent of having the registry.  Will it make Hamilton municipal government more open and transparent? Should it be mandatory registration? Will Mark Alan Whittle finally have others on the list with him?

3 comments:

  1. It should absolutely be mandatory especially when you see council dealing with people wearing two hats like David Braley who has input on the Pan-am Stadium but also owns 2 teams in the CFL that will be using it and the new Chairperson of the Chamber of Commerce which is pushing for LRT while he also is on the Board of Directors for Metrolinx. I am sure this is another issue that council will not want to be resolved until after the election because they are probably on a buddy/buddy system with those who should be registered as lobbyists. Mark now that RRRoll up the Rim to Win is back you can pick up a double/double and drop in on the Mayor to discuss this issue. Hopefully he will report the coffee as hospitality from a registered lobbyist
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  2. If I were Mark, I would be adamant about Liberty Energy's use of CEO Wilson Nolan, former Hamilton Mountain MPP Trevor Pettit and former MOE staff as paid lobbyists.
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  3. I've been waiting a long time for this legislation since it was my idea to start the volunteer Lobbyist registry in Hamilton thinking that other Lobbyists were as open and transparent as I was. Unfortunately the wording is screwy, no wonder nobody bothered to sign up, besides yours truely. When they are required to, at least I get the last laugh.
    Funny thing is, the poverty Industry has more Lobbyist plying their trade with council than you can shake a stick at, same for the developers.
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