Ritz earns title of most lobbied cabinet minister - again

Wednesday, February 5, 2014

by SUSAN MANN

Farm leaders had a lot to say to federal Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz last year when he received 102 prearranged contacts from industry groups.

That number made Ritz the most lobbied cabinet minister last year, according to an article in the Jan. 27 issue of the Hill Times, a weekly Ottawa-based newspaper covering politics and government. It’s the second year in a row the federal ag minister has topped the lobby popularity list.

Just under half of the contacts, 44, were about international trade. Ritz’s communications director, Jeff English, says in an email the contacts are “anything that’s prearranged,” such as a phone call or meeting.

The Hill Times article says it was Dairy Farmers of Canada that communicated with Ritz the most last year, followed by Chicken Farmers of Canada and the Canola Council of Canada. Dairy Farmers of Canada was also on the list of groups talking to International Trade Minister Ed Fast, who had a total of 76 prearranged contacts, putting him in the top five of the most lobbied cabinet ministers last year, the Hill Times says.

An emailed statement attributed to Ritz and supplied by English says agriculture is a major economic driver responsible for one in every eight jobs and is the third largest contributor to Canada’s GDP. In addition, agriculture is the largest manufacturing sector in Canada.

“As minister, I meet regularly with forward-thinking groups to discuss how to advance Canada’s diverse agriculture industry by creating opportunities at home and abroad,” the statement says.

According to the 2012/13 annual report of the Office of the Commissioner of Lobbying of Canada, there are more than 5,000 lobbyists registered to lobby federal public office holders. BF