In a rare move, China’s consulate in Toronto has hired its first lobbyist in Canada.

The Consulate General of the People’s Republic of China in Toronto works on behalf of Chinese and Hong Kong nationals in Ontario and Manitoba looking to extend their tourist, student or work visas.

But now, the consulate is hoping to get in on federal conversations about renewed China-Canada relations. It has signed Craig Brockwell of Solstice Public Affairs to arrange meetings with MPs and Senators to “promote various economic and cultural relations” between the two countries. The listing specifically mentions agriculture, art and culture, and tourism as their focal points.

The Lobbying Act exempts diplomats, consulates and embassies from having to register as lobbyists if they are meeting with government officials. iPolitics reached out to the consulate to find out why they registered, but officials had not responded in time for our wrap this week.

But what we do know is this: the consulate’s move comes as the federal government discusses a trade agreement with Beijing.

And it appears to be part of a push by the Chinese. On Monday Ambassador Lu Shaye told The Canadian Press that his country hopes to speed up bilateral trade talks amid rising protectionism.

The “renewed” Canada-China relationship has been on the consulate’s agenda. In a 2016 speech, Consul General Xue Bing said one of the consul’s “important responsibilities” is to enhance the Canada-China relationship by “advancing the friendship” between the two peoples.

“The friendship between China and Canada will certainly be enhanced to a new stage,” he told a crowd at Renison University College in Waterloo, Ontario. “I hope that in the near future, the young people here today, with a deeper understanding of China, will become an important driving force of the China-Canada friendship.”

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau got the trade deal discussion started with a trip to Beijing in 2016, soon after his government was sworn into power. Earlier this year, both countries declared 2018 the year of Canada-Chinese tourism, with an aim of doubling reciprocal travel by 2025.

More than 1.3 million people of Chinese origin have settled in Canada and 140,000 Chinese were students studying at universities and colleges throughout the country in 2017.

New Registrations

There were only 22 registrations last week. The Producteurs de grains du Quebec registered three lobbyists, followed by Solutions Softway Medical Inc. No lobbyist had more than one registration last week. Impact Public Affairs and L’Orange bleue affaires publiques each signed three clients, StrategyCorp signed two and the other 9 companies signed each signed one.

For the full list, click here.

Recent Agriculture/Trade registrations:

Central Wire Industries Ltd. registered President Paul From to lobby Finance Canada about steel tariffs and Section 55 of the Customs Tariff Act. The listing is backdated to early July. From has been a vocal advocate for help against dumping of cheap foreign steel.

The Producteurs de grain du Québec registered Claudia Loupert, Sébastien Verret and Mathieu Santerre of L’Orange bleue affairs publiques to lobby about the imbalance in U.S. government supports to the American agriculture industry and producer income stability. The trio are signed up to lobby PMO and Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada only. L’Orange bleue affaires publiques is based in St. Alban, Q.C. about half-way between Trois Rivières and Quebec City.

Recent defence registrations:

MDA GP Holdings Ltd. registered President Mike Greenley, to lobby for defence, satellite imagery and space related projects. The registry listing is quite long and detailed. MDA GP Holdings Ltd is a subsidiary of Maxar Technologies Holdings of Westminster Colorado.

Recent environment/energy registrations:

Hydrostor Inc. is trying to develop a method of under warter energy storage. They Signed Devin McCarthy of Sussex Strategy Group to get more funding and find commercial opportunities for the technology. Last year the company received just over $350,000 in federal funding.

Acadian Peninsula Offshore Wind Inc. hired Maurice Robichaud of Romau Communications Inc. to lobby PCO and Natural Resources for funding from the Emerging Renewable Energy Program. Based on the photo on his LinkedIn page, Robichaud is a well-connected provincial Liberal.

Deltro Group Ltd. signed Richard Mahoney of McMillan Vantage Policy Group to communicate about export financing opportunities for renewable energy projects. Deltro makes solar photovoltaic systems and recently expanded to battery energy storage systems. The Company was founded by David Del Mastro, a cousin of disgraced former Conservative MP Dean Del Mastro.

Recent health registrations:

Cochlear Canada, the national arm of a medical device company, registered Michael Brown, Vice President of Health Economics to communicate with MPs and PHAC to create “a national policy on the comprehensive treatment of hearing loss,” using the 2017 Resolution from the World Health Organization as its starting point.

French company Solutions Softway Medical Inc. signed Martin Rust and Lisa Samon of StrategyCorp. to lobby Correctional Services of Canada about procurement opportunities.

Recent Public Service registrations:

The Canadian Alliance of Nuclear Workers signed Adam Schwartz of Ensight to lobby about the implications of AECL on their public service pensions.

Of note

Canadian Career Development Foundation signed Emily Gale of Impact Public Affairs to create a national strategy addressing precarious work with a number of national departments. One of the discussions they will be having is how technology has changed the labour force.

Frontier Duty Free Association hired Alla Drigola of Impact Public Affairs to lobby departments for the creation of a program called Road TRIP: Travel Rebate Incentive Program that will assist border communities, duty free stories and increase American visitor traffic. Frontier Duty Free Association is the industry group for the 27 duty-free stores along the Canada-U.S. border. Drigola worked in the office of former Tory MP Dianne Watts from 2015 to 2017.

The Canadian Bar Association registered board member Kerry L. Simmons who will lobby Finance, Justice, and MPs about a long list of court-related issues including Legal Aid, expansion of Unified Family Courts, and changes to the money laundering and terrorist financing regulations with regards to solicitor-client privilege. The CBA received $3.2 million from Global Affairs Canada last year.

Communications reports

There were 1086 communications reports filed last week for communications that occurred between July 31, 2017 and Friday. There were two 2017 reports from Les Producteurs de lait du Québec, the rest date from 2018. 1001 reports were based on communications from this past July while 36 took place from July 2017 through June 2018 and 49 reports were for communications that took place in August.

Most active client organizations

Canadian Coalition for Construction Steel, by two paid lobbyists and one board member, 33

MDA Systems Ltd., MDA Geospatial. MacDonald Dettwiler and Associates, all by President Mike Greenley, 32 (four different, but obviously related companies)

The Mining Association of Canada by President Pierre Gratton, 27

Bell Helicopter Textron Canada Ltd by one paid lobbyist and President Cynthia Garneau, 26

Canadian Energy and Related Industries Pension Plan, by three paid lobbyists, 24

The Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs by CEI Shimon Fogel, 18

Yukon College, by two paid lobbyists, 16

Most active paid lobbyists

Jean Lambert, for two clients, 11

Jacob Mantle, for one client, 11

Henry Boyd, for three clients, 11

Stuart McCarthy, for two clients, 11

Jesse Goldman, for one client, 11

Susan Smith, for two clients, 10

Kunal Parmar, for one client, 10

Douglas Richardson for one client, 10

Most lobbied public office holder

Marlo Raynolds, Chief of Staff to Minister of ECCC, 19

Clare Demerse, senior policy advisor, office of Minister of ECCC, 19

Parvinder Sachdeva, senior advisor, office of Minister of ISED, 17

Ian Foucher, senior policy advisor, office of the Minister of Finance, 16

Mikaela McQuade, regional policy advisor, office of Minster of Natural Resources, 15

Paul Halucha, ADM of ISED, 14

Paul Rochon, Deputy Minister of Finance, 12

Most lobbied government institution

ISED, 167

House of Commons, 152

Global Affairs, 101

ECCC, 81

Finance Canada, 78

PMO, 54

Most lobbied subjects (based on first two subjects per filing)

Industry, 149

Environment, 143

International Trade, 135

Economic development, 125

Energy, 114

Health, 88

With files from Kirsten Smith