Bill 160 passed Third Reading in the Ontario Legislature at the end of 2017. However, since it never received Royal Proclamation, it’s not officially law. This will become important soon.
Like so many pieces of legislation, it was packed so full that it was impossible to properly sort out.
Ambulance Act
Anti-Racism Act, 2017
Broader Public Sector Accountability Act, 2010
Child and Family Services Act
Child, Youth and Family Services Act, 2017
City of Toronto Act, 2006
Commitment to the Future of Medicare Act, 2004
Coroners Act
Drug and Pharmacies Regulation Act
Electronic Cigarettes Act, 2015
Excellent Care for All Act, 2010
Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act
Healing Arts Radiation Protection Act
Health Care Consent Act, 1996
Health Facilities Special Orders Act
Health Insurance Act
Health Protection and Promotion Act
Health sector payment transparency act, 2017
Independent Health Facilities Act
Local Food Act, 2013
Local Health System Integration Act, 2006
Long-Term Care Homes Act, 2007
Medical Radiation and Imaging Technology Act, 2017
Medical Radiation Technology Act, 1991
Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care Appeal and Review Boards Act, 1998
Municipal Act, 2001
Occupational Health and Safety Act
Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2001
Ontario Drug Benefit Act
Ontario Energy Board Act, 1998
Ontario Mental Health Foundation Act
Oversight of Health Facilities and Devices Act, 2017
Patient Restraints Minimization Act, 2001
Pay Equity Act
Personal Health Information Protection Act, 2004
Private Hospitals Act
Public Hospitals Act
Public Sector Labour Relations Transition Act, 1997
Public Sector Salary Disclosure Act, 1996
Quality of Care Information Protection Act, 2004
Regulated Health Professions Act, 1991
Residential Tenancies Act, 2006
Retirement Homes Act, 2010
Smoke-Free Ontario Act
Social Contract Act, 1993
Substitute Decisions Act, 1992
Tobacco Damages and Health Care Costs Recovery Act, 2009
Purpose
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1 The purpose of this Act is to require the reporting of information about financial relationships that exist within Ontario’s health care system, including within health care research and education, and to enable the collection, analysis and publication of that information in order to,
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(a) strengthen transparency in order to sustain and enhance the trust that patients have in their health care providers and in the health care system;
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(b) provide patients with access to information that may assist them in making informed decisions about their health care;
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(c) provide the Minister and others with information for the purposes of health system research and evaluation, planning and policy analysis; and
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(d) provide for the collection, use and disclosure of personal information for these purposes.
Interpretation, “payor”
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3 Any of the following persons is a payor for the purposes of this Act if the person provides a transfer of value to a recipient:
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1. A manufacturer that sells a medical product under the manufacturer’s own name or under a trade-mark, design, trade name or other name or mark that is owned or controlled by the manufacturer and that fabricates, produces, processes, assembles, packages or labels the product, even if those tasks are performed by someone else on the manufacturer’s behalf.
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2. A person who fabricates, produces, processes, assembles, packages or labels a medical product on behalf of a manufacturer described in paragraph 1.
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3. A wholesaler, distributor, importer or broker that promotes or facilitates the sale of a medical product.
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4. A marketing firm or person who performs activities for the purposes of marketing or promoting a medical product.
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5. A person who organizes continuing education events for members of a health profession on behalf of a manufacturer described in paragraph 1.
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6. A prescribed person or entity.
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Reporting obligations
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4 (1) Subject to subsection (2), a payor shall report to the Minister the information set out in subsection (5) with respect to the following transactions:
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1. A transfer of value provided directly by a payor to a recipient.
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2. A transfer of value provided indirectly by a payor to a recipient through an intermediary.
Schedule 4 is the most interesting part.
SCHEDULE 4
health sector payment transparency act, 2017
The Schedule enacts the Health Sector Payment Transparency Act, 2017.
The purpose of the Act, as set out in section 1, is to require the reporting of information about financial relationships that exist within Ontario’s health care system, including within health care research and education, and to enable the collection, analysis and publication of that information in order to, among other things, strengthen transparency. The Act requires that certain transactions be reported to the Minister who shall analyse and publish the information. The Act establishes a framework for inspections and other compliance mechanisms. The Act provides for periodic review by the Minister.
Bill 160 Never Actually Proclaimed
According to CanLII, Bill 160 wasn’t proclaimed (brought into force), as of May 29, 2019, which was a full 6 months after it had cleared in the Legislative Assembly. The Ontario Government “does” make reference to the passing of Bill 160, but adds in the all-important disclaimer: ONCE PROCLAIMED INTO FORCE
A law that would have made Ontario the first province in which drug companies were forced to publicly disclose their payments to doctors is in limbo with less than two months to go before the data collection was supposed to begin.
Premier Doug Ford’s Progressive Conservative government has not enacted the regulations that would bring into force the Health Sector Payment Transparency Act, legislation that was hailed as a major step toward openness in medical marketing when the former Liberal government passed it nearly a year ago.
Health Minister Christine Elliott’s office would not say whether the Tories intend to proceed with the transparency law or abandon it.
In the meantime, the legislation has been left to languish alongside other laws the Liberals passed but did not execute before they were swept out of office in June.
“We know, in many cases, the health sector did not feel that the prior government engaged in proper consultation when enacting legislation,” Hayley Chazan, the minister’s press secretary, said in an e-mailed statement that declined to answer specific questions about the transparency law. “That’s why our government is broadly consulting with partners in health care and reviewing all legislation that has not yet come into force as part of our efforts to develop a long-term transformational health strategy.”
The law would have led to the release of massive amounts of new data about how the pharmaceutical industry tries to influence the practice of medicine in the province.
How convenient it is that a law passed in 2017 was never actually implemented. This would have forced drug manufacturers and consultants to disclose how much money they had been spending in order to push their drugs to the public at large.
Ford claims (as did Wynne) that a delay is necessary in order to consult various parties and look for ways to best implement it. So, then why go through the time and expense of drafting and debating legislation BEFORE the consultations were done and the details worked out? Why is doing it AFTER the fact a better alternative?
Or, could this just be a way of “appearing” to clamp down on lobbyist influence, while still ensuring that is goes ahead nonetheless? Doesn’t seem like a populist thing to do.
Of course, this is nowhere near all of them. Does it paint a clearer picture? The Ontario Government is on the receiving end of lobbying by the drug industry. But because Bill 160 wasn’t implemented, we won’t know if any money has changed hands.
Could this be the real reason Bill 160 was never implemented? All of these lobbying records look back enough on the surface. However, if money changed hands in order for certain drugs to be approved, or be sold in certain places, it ups the sleaziness considerably.
Kathleen Wynne passed Bill 160 in late 2017. She could have easily implemented it. So could have Doug Ford when he took power. Both had majority governments.
Keep in mind, this is not an exhaustive list of the drug lobbying that is going on in the Ontario Legislature. There is much more, and the above is just a sample of it.
Some of the lobbying at the Federal level has been published in earlier pieces on this site. However, this is not true at the Provincial level. The question that has to be asked is whether lobbying is playing a role in getting various Premiers to support the vaccination agenda.
The answer is yes, or at least it certainly looks like it. This article will focus on Alberta, now headed by Jason Kenney. Others will be addressed subsequently. Kenney is blatantly pro-vaxx, and people have to ask who is pulling the strings for this agenda.
Clearly, Wellington Advocacy and Counsel Public Affairs are not the only 2 groups lobbying the Alberta Government. But they are both very prominent.
Also noteworthy is that Kenney is a former Cabinet Minister in Stephen Harper’s Government. He is a twice-attendee of the Bilderberg meetings. Kenney has powerful connections.
Jason Kenney, like the Federal Government, and other Premiers, supports the agenda for mass vaccination. Unlike the Feds, though, Kenney hasn’t (so far) said that it will be mandatory, but we will have to see what becomes of it.
EDMONTON — Prime Minister Justin Trudeau defended his government Tuesday after Alberta’s premier suggested Ottawa is dragging its feet on approving potential screening devices and treatments for COVID-19.
On Sunday, Jason Kenney tweeted that he had directed staff to consider using tests, vaccines or medications “that have been approved by the high standards of at least one credible peer country’s drug agency.”
That of course is just a clip from a broader article. Point is, Kenney seems on board with vaccinations. He doesn’t want Ottawa potentially slowing it down.
2. Wellington Advocacy, ex-PMO Staffers
What we do
Wellington Advocacy helps you build, run and win campaigns.
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After a decade of working alongside Stephen Harper on the campaign trail and in office, our team is uniquely positioned to help you build government relations strategies, digital campaigns, stakeholder coalitions and blueprints to run.
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Government Relations
Our team will work with you to build and deliver a concise and compelling presentation to government. Drawing on vast public policy and government experience, we ensure the right people hear your message at the right time.
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Digital
Finding and winning over an audience is central to any successful campaign. We know how to identify and engage audiences and will help you build a bespoke digital strategy to capture the attention you need to deliver your message.
This lobbying firm was with Stephen Harper for more than a decade, and even played a role in the PMO (Prime Minister’s Office). They brag about having influence. Now, they lobby (current) Alberta Premier Jason Kenney. Keep in mind, that Kenney was Immigration Minister for much of his time in Harper’s Government. All of this reeks of a conflict-of-interest.
According to the Lobbying Registry of Alberta, Wellington Advocacy has lobbied the Alberta Government 53 times since May 2019. While certainly not all of their clients are drug companies, several of as late, are.
DATE
LOBBYIST
CLIENT
SENIOR OFFICER
23-Apr-2020
Wellington Advocacy Inc.
Triple M Housing
Nick Koolsberge
23-Apr-2020
Wellington Advocacy Inc.
Spartan Bioscience Inc
Nick Koolsbergen
19-Apr-2020
Wellington Advocacy Inc.
AMD Medicom Inc
Nick Koolsbergen
22-Mar-2020
Wellington Advocacy Inc.
Bayshore Healthcare LTD
Nick Koolsbergen
22-Mar-2020
Wellington Advocacy Inc.
Shoppers Drug Mart
Nick Koolsbergen
3. Counsel Public Affairs, Inc.
Healthcare
Our team has extensive experience working across the health care sector, from hospital operations and broader health care industry governance, to service providers and product manufacturers, and to the regulated health professionals who support the system. Counsel has advocated on behalf of doctors, nurses, hospitals, pharmaceutical companies, pharmacies, medical device manufacturers, healthcare associations and patient groups on a wide range of mandates.
LOBBYING
Engaging decision makers with a powerful, persuasive and fact-based position is the key to success. With decades of experience working at all levels of government, we know how to effectively bridge the gap between those inside and outside of the political sphere to find solutions for your most important issues.
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POLICY DEVELOPMENT
We know how government weighs options, evaluates impacts, and makes choices. We understand the policy process and how your organization can intervene effectively. We’ll help to ensure the facts are laid out, your case gets in front of the right people, and the policy implications are clear.
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STAKEHOLDER AND INFLUENCER ENGAGEMENT
Skilled and targeted stakeholder management involves both recruiting allies and minimizing opposition. We can help you identify, track, and influence stakeholders.
Their LinkedIn page is filled with countless examples of Counsel Public Affairs attempting to control political narratives. Members have ties to many political parties, so they really are playing all sides.
11-Apr-2020
Counsel Public Affairs Inc.
Emergent BioSolutions Canada Inc. (formerly Adapt Pharma Canada Ltd.)
Philip Dew
Counsel does have offices in other provinces, and connections to many political parties.
4. Registered Lobbying Reports
24-Apr-2020
AstraZeneca Canada Inc.
Jane Chung
23-Apr-2020
Wellington Advocacy Inc.
Triple M Housing
Nick Koolsbergen
22-Apr-2020
Stosic & Associates Ltd.
Mint Pharmaceuticals Inc.
Aleksandar Stosic
16-Apr-2020
Hill + Knowlton Strategies
3M Canada Company
Sheila Wisniewski
15-Apr-2020
Global Public Affairs
Applied Pharmaceutical Innovation
Randy Pettipas
15-Apr-2020
Novartis Pharmaceuticals Canada Inc.
Christian Macher
11-Apr-2020
Counsel Public Affairs Inc.
Emergent BioSolutions Canada Inc. (formerly Adapt Pharma Canada Ltd.)
Philip Dewan
09-Apr-2020
Lundbeck Canada Inc.
Peter Anastasiou
09-Apr-2020
Rothmans, Benson, & Hedges
Peter Luongo
07-Apr-2020
Pfizer Canada ULC
Cole Pinnow
07-Apr-2020
Merck Canada Inc.
Anna Van Acker
06-Apr-2020
Alberta Pharmacists’ Association
Margaret Wing
01-Apr-2020
Janssen Inc.
Jorge Bartolome
This is of course not an exhaustive list of who has been lobbying the Government in Alberta. Nor is health the only topic that gets lobbied for.
But it is interesting to see how many interested parties are coming forward. And “interested” refers to those who will be able to make money off such a vaccine or other remedy. When there is a lot of money at stake, people must always be wondering who is possibly pulling the strings.
One thing seems clear though: the Alberta Government won’t be waiting around for Ottawa to make a decision. Whether AB ultimately decides to go the route of mass vaccinations is unknown. However, there are companies who would profit greatly from it.
It also can’t be understated the conflict of interest that arises when lobbyists — many of whom have ties to government officials — start lobbying those officials on matters that are not in the best interests of the people. Much like Crestview Strategy and many more, Wellington Alliance and Counsel Public Affairs rely on their personal connections to pass initiatives that their clients pay for.
Saini is listed many times in connection with the Lobbying Commissioner’s Office. Many of those communications reports are with pharmaceutical companies who are lobbying him.
Saini is a board member for the Canadian International Council. Here are the main founders that is lists. Some of these names should be familiar.
1. Raj Saini’s LPC Profile
A proud resident of Kitchener-Waterloo, Raj Saini has owned and operated an award-winning small business for nearly 20 years. His success as a small business owner comes from his focus on helping people achieve their health goals using evidence-based protocols to enable healing and encourage healthy lifestyles.
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A committed and active supporter of local organizations, Raj works tirelessly to engage his community in politics and international affairs. He is a proud Rotarian of many years, a board member of the Canadian International Council, Waterloo Region branch and a long-time champion of Liberal values. He is passionate about improving the local economy, creating jobs and promoting the health and well-being of Kitchener Centre’s residents through intelligent, fiscally responsible environmental and health policy.
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Raj earned his Bachelors of Science in Chemistry from the University of Toronto, and a Bachelors of Science in Pharmacy from Boston’s Northeastern University.
The above is taken directly from his profile. Let’s get into the issues that exist here, and why they are a problem.
2. Saini Co-Owned A Pharmacy
In 2017, Saini pandered in Parliament on the issue of World Pharmacist’s Day. No shocker, given his personal and professional stake in the industry.
KITCHENER — As a pharmacist, Raj Saini says he learned a few things about serving all segments of society. After getting elected to the House of Commons, he wants to keep doing that, but with a larger customer base — about 102,433 people, to be exact.
That’s the most recent census information available for Kitchener Centre, the riding that Liberal MP-elect Saini will represent after winning last Monday’s federal election in his first run at public office.
As the co-owner of the independent Greenbrook Pharmacy, it should come as no surprise that nothing tops Saini’s list of priorities as he heads to Ottawa more than the need for a national pharmacare policy.
Fewer and fewer Canadians have benefits that cover the costs of prescription drugs and those rising out-of-pocket medicine expenses are the missing link in the country’s universal health care coverage, he said.
Raj Saini is a pharmacist, and co-owns one as well. While there is nothing wrong with this (and is admirable) the strange connections shown later are a cause for concern.
In 2019, Saini rehashed the same old Liberal campaign promise for universal drug coverage. In all fairness though, the LPC has been campaigning on it since 1993 and has never delivered on it.
3. Saini Lobbied By GAVI In 2019
Jason Clark, who works for the firm Crestview Strategy, lobbied Saini on March 8, 2018, on behalf of GAVI. GAVI is the Gates-funded Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunizations. This was after Saini had introduced M-132, and prior to the Committee hearings in Parliament.
4. Other Pharma Lobbying MP Saini
All of these records can be verified by searching Raj Saini’s name in the Office of the Lobbying Commissioner of Canada. This is by no means all of the records, but shows a pretty good indication of who he has been speaking with.
About
What makes the CIC unique is our network of 15 branches across seven provinces. This gives us a presence, in local communities, that is unparalleled in Canadian global affairs.
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Thanks to this presence, Canadians from all walks of life, all ages, political opinions, and professions can discuss and learn about international affairs and contribute their views. In reflecting on the ideas and interests of a broad constituency of Canadians, the CIC demonstrates that our country’s foreign policy is not an esoteric concern of experts but benefits from direct citizen involvement.
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As thousands of people join in an ongoing series of events and online discussions, the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. The result is a national conversation on our country’s role in the world.
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We engage our members and the public to join the conversation through three types of activity: they can attend events, read our research and can share their opinions online.
Saini’s profile states that he is a Director at this organization (the Waterloo Branch). However, in searching him on the internal search, it doesn’t appear that he has contributed any publications to the organizations.
It’s interesting though: to be a Director at this group, which is looking for global solutions (on many issues). Saini introduced M-132, which will increase research and distribution of pharmaceuticals both in Canada and abroad. Certainly this is consistent with CIC’s agenda, but hard to tell if it is influencing the motion.
6. MP Saini Introduced M-132 In 2017
For a speech on passing M-132.
The text is below
Motion Text
That the Standing Committee on Health be instructed to undertake a study on ways of increasing benefits to the public resulting from federally funded health research, with the goals of lowering drugs costs and increasing access to medicines, both in Canada and globally; and that the Committee report its findings and recommendations to the House no later than one year from the time this motion is adopted.
HOW THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT COULD FOSTER INNOVATION IN PHARMACEUTICAL RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT IN CANADA AND GLOBALLY
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Witnesses suggested to the Committee that the federal government could address these challenges by increasing its investments in health research; promoting the creation of innovative alternative models of pharmaceutical R&D; and establishing strategic priorities for pharmaceutical R&D in line with both domestic and international population health needs.
(ii) Repurposing of Existing Drugs Dr. Keith Fowke, Professor, Department of Medical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, University of Manitoba, told the Committee that federal funding of research focusing on examining ways to repurpose existing drugs that are safe, affordable and globally available to treat new conditions is another possible approach of reducing the costs of drug development, while ensuring affordable access to treatments. He explained to the Committee that his CIHR-funded research on HIV/AIDS examined the role that aspirin could play in preventing the spread of infection by reducing inflammation in cells in the genital tract that are susceptible to the HIV virus. His research showed that aspirin reduced the number of HIV target cells in the genital tract by 35%, which is paving the way for clinical trials in this area. Dr. Fowke recommended that CIHR continue to support innovative fundamental research that focuses on the repurposing of existing widely available generic drugs for the treatment of new conditions, an approach that reduces timelines and costs for R&D as these medications already exist
C. Develop a Strategic Framework for Federally Funded Health Research in Canada and Abroad
Finally, the Committee heard from both Drs. Nickerson and Yusuf that the federal government needs to develop a strategic framework that identifies priorities for health research funding that focuses on population health needs both in Canada and abroad. Though various federal government departments and agencies, including CIHR, the Public Health Agency of Canada and Global Affairs Canada have proposed priorities for federal health research funding both nationally and internationally, witnesses indicated that there is a need to review and better coordinate health research priorities across government to determine whether they are meeting population health needs. This priority setting would help identify areas where the federal government should target its investments in pharmaceutical R&D, which would leverage Canadian expertise across governments, universities, industry and civil society.
It cannot be overemphasized that these reports focus not only on cheap drugs for Canadians. They also are directed to the world at large. Presumably they will be sold at low rates, but since it’s not specified, they could be donated. Those are quotes from the November 2018 report that was released.
7. MP Saini Attended MIX Grand Opening
KITCHENER, ON, Jan. 10, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Medical Innovation Xchange (MIX), Canada’s first industry-led hub for medtech startups, celebrated its official launch and ribbon-cutting ceremony on Friday, January 10, 2020 at its Kitchener headquarters. Mr. Simon Kennedy, Deputy Minister, Innovation, Science & Economic Development provided the keynote address on what infrastructure is required to help retain and successfully scale Canadian medtech startups. Honoured guests included Kitchener Mayor Berry Vrbanovic, Member of Parliament Raj Saini, Member of Parliament Tim Louis, and industry leaders including prominent medtech CEOs, investors, hospital administrators, and government officials.
MIX, spearheaded in June 2019 by Intellijoint Surgical CEO Armen Bakirtzian, joins the powerful community within the Toronto-Waterloo Innovation Corridor to offer Canadian medtech companies an environment to grow locally and go to market globally. MIX Residents have a unique opportunity to retain ownership in early stages and succeed by leveraging MIX resources to avoid early stage pitfalls and post-prototype growing pains. The successes of Intellijoint Surgical, which celebrated its landmark 10,000th surgery in April of last year, and other successful Canadian medtech strategic advisors, help illuminate the path to bootstrapping as an alternative to acquisition by, for example, global medical device and pharmaceutical companies or packing up and moving operations to the United States.
“We are experiencing a tech boom right across our region,” adds Tim Louis, MP for Kitchener Conestoga. “We excel at IP development, and have a global reputation in high-tech manufacturing – from automotive to aerospace. But we understand that more must be done to cultivate local successes. When IP leaves the country, we miss out on future opportunities, as well as the potential spillover effect from high-tech research. MIX will certainly help to address some of those gaps.”
Since the June 2019 announcement of its founding, MIX has already received dozens of inquiries from interested companies seeking to become part of the community. This will ensure Bakirtzian meets his commitment to fill the incubator’s office space with mature startups that would most benefit from peer-to-peer information exchanges over the course of their minimum 18-24 month occupancy. “We are committed to helping ‘grow our own’” says Bakirtzian, “and it starts with ensuring the most promising medtech startups have a home here at 809 Wellington Street where they can thrive and scale.”
MIX, the Medical Innovation Exchange, had it’s grand opening, on January 10, 2020. MP Saini was one of those in attendance. Since its launch, MIX has focused it’s services on the coronavirus epidemic, which happened very shortly afterwards. What a great, but coincidental timing this is. Here is another article covering the launch.
Bakirtzian and MIX’s inaugural Residents want to galvanize these realities for the medtech space and their many peers in the Kitchener-Waterloo area. Their vision also includes addressing tough questions about healthcare procurement policies, which impact the domestic healthcare market, and channels to access more mature sources of funding. They are keenly aware of the immediate and broader impact of their work.
“Canada is a place where innovation thrives – especially here in the Kitchener-Waterloo region.” says Raj Saini, MP for Kitchener Centre. “We offer one of the best economies in the world for new business ventures as well as small and medium enterprises. And medtech is an area rich in intellectual property — something Canadians lead at developing. But we need to improve at commercialization. Of patents filed in the past two years, 60% ended up with global companies within a year.”
“We are experiencing a tech boom right across our region,” adds Tim Louis, MP for Kitchener Conestoga. “We excel at IP development, and have a global reputation in high-tech manufacturing – from automotive to aerospace. But we understand that more must be done to cultivate local successes. When IP leaves the country, we miss out on future opportunities, as well as the potential spillover effect from high-tech research. MIX will certainly help to address some of those gaps.”
MIX, the Medical Innovation Xchange, doesn’t actually do any research itself. Instead, it is a hub, or a place of centralization for others to research. Although this is just starting out, it will be very interesting to see where things lead.
8. Waterloo Corporate Welfare
Today, Raj Saini, Member of Parliament for Kitchener Centre, on behalf of the Honourable Navdeep Bains, Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development and Minister responsible for FedDev Ontario, announced a contribution of $2.57 million for Nicoya to scale up operations and accelerate growth into new markets.
“This FedDev Ontario investment in Nicoya is wonderful news for Waterloo Region. Twenty-nine good-paying, highly-skilled jobs will be added in our community, and our thriving biotechnology and health sciences cluster will be strengthened. Our government is committed to ensuring the competitiveness of our region both at home and abroad.”
– Raj Saini, Member of Parliament for Kitchener Centre
Off topic, but Saini handed out $2.57 million to create 29 jobs, or more than $88,000/per job. Great use of taxpayer money.
9. Issue With Saini’s Connection
Raj Saini is a licensed pharmacist, but he has also been lobbied by drug companies (among others) for his entire time in office. One of those parties was GAVI, the Global Vaccine Alliance that is largely financed by Bill Gates and his Foundation. On the surface at least, these look like a clear conflict of interest.
Saini introduced M-132, to get the House of Commons Standing Committee on Health to study ways to increase pharmaceutical research. The people who appeared before the Committee and give submissions have vested interests in seeing this go ahead.
M-132 could be totally coincidental, but consider how it looks. The motion is introduced in 2017, the hearings are in the fall of 2018, and the recommendations are adopted in March 2019. Later that year, Event 201 would be held and the coronavirus “pandemic” would be unleashed.
How convenient it is that the Parliamentary hurdles were cleared in time for drug researching to be advanced.
CLICK HERE, for #0: Theresa Tam; archives; articles; lobbying. CLICK HERE, for #1: piece on Bill Gates, Pirbright, depopulation. CLICK HERE, for #2: Coronavirus research at U of Saskatchewan. CLICK HERE, for #3: Gates; WHO, ID2020; GAVI; Vaccines. CLICK HERE, for #4: Gates using proxies to push vaxx agenda. CLICK HERE, for #5: Crestview Strategy, GAVI’s lobbying firm.
The following bit was covered in the previous piece. There are 20 communications reports on file over the last two years where Crestview Strategy has lobbied the Federal Government on behalf of GAVI, the Global Vaccine Alliance.
Dates of Communications Reports
(1) 2018 March 8
(2) 2018 March 9
(3) 2018 March 9
(4) 2018 October 9
(5) 2018 October 9
(6) 2018 October 9
(7) 2018 October 10
(8) 2018 October 10
(9) 2018 October 10
(10) 2019 June 11
(11) 2019 June 11
(12) 2019 June 11
(13) 2019 June 12
(14) 2019 June 12
(15) 2019 June 12
(16) 2020 January 28
(17) 2020 January 29
(18) 2020 January 29
(19) 2020 January 29
(20) 2020 January 30
No, these aren’t duplications. The registry indicates multiple reports on these dates. Here are screenshots of the actual listings.
These are just the 20 reports that are on file with the Office of the Lobbying Commissioner. It’s fair to assume that there have been many, many more talks that aren’t documented.
These are just the 20 reports that are on file with the Office of the Lobbying Commissioner. It’s fair to assume that there have been many, many more talks that aren’t documented. While that is likely the case, we need evidence to make that conclusion though.
The focus of this article will be on the bureaucrats and politicians themselves who are being lobbied. Who are they, what is their game, and is there any conflict of interest? As will be shown below, many of these politicians and bureaucrats may have already been on board prior to meeting with Gates’ proxies.
It is the next logical step. Crestview Strategy, and their ties to GAVI have been posted, but what about the people they lobbied? What is their take on things?
These are just the 20 reports that are on file with the Office of the Lobbying Commissioner. It’s fair to assume that there have been many, many more talks that aren’t documented.
>CLICK HERE, for Dara Lithwick’s LinkedIn page. http://archive.is/DhBG0
Going through the LinkedIn profiles of the bureaucrats whom Crestview Strategy (on behalf of GAVI) have been lobbying, many of them show an interest in Bill Gates, his wife Melinda, or their foundation. It’s worth asking if those profiles have been updated recently to reflect their meetings, or whether they “already” were on board with Gates’ vaccination agenda.
Would be nice to get an answer on this, but we likely never will. So take the above information for what it’s worth.
Despite what many think, LEGAL immigration into Canada is actually a much larger threat than illegal aliens, given the true scale of the replacement that is happening. What was founded as a European (British) colony is becoming unrecognizable due to forced demographic changes. There are also social, economic, environmental and voting changes to consider. See this Canadian series, and the UN programs for more detail. Politicians, the media, and so-called “experts” have no interest in coming clean on this.
CLICK HERE, for UN Genocide Prevention/Punishment Convention. CLICK HERE, for Barcelona Declaration & Kalergi Plan. CLICK HERE, for UN Kalergi Plan (population replacement). CLICK HERE, for UN replacement efforts since 1974. CLICK HERE, for tracing steps of UN replacement agenda.
Note: If there are errors in calculating the totals, please speak up. Information is of no use to the public if it isn’t accurate.
2. Important Link
CLICK HERE, for Michelle Rempel’s take on immigration. CLICK HERE, for sources of demographic replacement. CLICK HERE, for Canada doesn’t track people exiting. CLICK HERE, for World Bank & global remittances. CLICK HERE, for remittances and brain drain. CLICK HERE, for CANZUK, border erasure. CLICK HERE, for economic immigration during high unemployment. CLICK HERE, for UN Convention on Genocide.
84,229 TFW permits issued
+ 255,034 International Mobility + 356,876 Student Visas
696,139 temporary migrants admitted in 2018
Also noted: there were 721,000+ international students (total) in Canada.
Over the past decade, the number of post-graduation work permit holders in Canada has increased from 95,455 in 2014 to 186,055 in 2018.
So, that is the “temporary migration”, nearly 700,000 people came into Canada on various student/temp worker visas. That’s a starting point. Now, how many people are coming through other streams? Disclaimer: Am not entirely sure on this, but will try to piece the totals together. It seems fairly convoluted.
Canada resettled 28,076 refugees (page 21 of the report). This is on top of the 45,758 refugees who became permanent residents,
321,035 PR handed out, of those:
49,504 refugees, protected people
85,179 family reunification
186,352 economic pathways
(From page 15 is states)
(a) 95,283 people who held a work permit became PR
(b) 53,805 who held a student visa became PR
So, then are we to assume that
321,035 PR handed out
-95,283 who held a work permit -53,805 who held a student visa
171,947 new people brought in??
Or were some more people who had visas and then left? In fairness, a lot are likely counted as Provincial Nominees. Assuming (although it does not state explicitly) that those who held work or student visas previously were already in the country, it would mean that another 171,947 people entered and became permanent residents.
84,229 Temporary Foreign Workers
+ 255,034 International Mobility Program
+ 356,876 Student Visas
+ 171,947 (at least) economic/family/refugee
+ 28,076 (resettled) refugees + 40,000 (estimated) illegals
936,163 or more
Note: if there is an error in how this has been added up, please point it out. Accuracy is important.
But beyond the raw number of people entering Canada with potential to stay, there are many more things to factor in, and social costs to weigh.
4. Continued Population Replacement
That is from page 36 of the 2019 Annual Report to Parliament on Immigration in Canada. The overwhelming majority of people entering (as usual) are from the 3rd world, and it keeps transforming Canada demographically. No, it is by no means everyone coming in, but just a snapshot of the group being granted permanent residence.
What’s frustrating is that politicians and the media refer to the PR totals, as if that was anywhere near representative of who was entering Canada. Since we don’t actually track who is leaving the country, we really have no idea how many people actually remain.
Now it that all the people coming? Do you really think that the hordes of students and “temporary” workers are going to leave afterwards?
Looking back in recent years:
(Page 18 of the 2004 Annual Report to Parliament)
(Page 24 of the 2005 Annual Report to Parliament)
(Page 18, 19 of the 2006 Annual Report to Parliament)
(Page 19, 20 of the 2007 Annual Report to Parliament)
(Page 21, 22 of the 2008 Annual Report to Parliament)
(Page 16 of the 2009 Annual Report to Parliament)
(Page 14 of the 2010 Annual Report to Parliament)
(Page 18 of the 2011 Annual Report to Parliament)
(Page 15 of the 2012 Annual Report to Parliament)
(Page 19 of the 2013 Annual Report to Parliament)
(Page 16 of the 2014 Annual Report to Parliament)
(Page 16 of the 2015 Annual Report to Parliament)
(Page 10 of the 2016 Annual Report to Parliament)
(Page 14 of the 2017 Annual Report to Parliament)
(Page 28 of the 2018 Annual Report to Parliament)
Did you think that importing large numbers of people from:
(a) China
(b) India
(c) Philippines
(d) Pakistan
(e) Iran
might be the reason we have such large enclaves of these groups? Think there may be some connection between them? This is not a single year, but a consistent pattern.
30-40% of new Permanent Residents are from just 3 countries (India, China, Philippines). Also, a lot are brought in from Muslim areas. Consider the UN Convention on preventing and punishing genocide.
Article I
The Contracting Parties confirm that genocide, whether committed in time of peace or in time of war, is a crime under international law which they undertake to prevent and to punish.
Article II
In the present Convention, genocide means any of the following acts committed with intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnical, racial or religious group, as such:
(a) Killing members of the group;
(b) Causing serious bodily or mental harm to members of the group;
(c) Deliberately inflicting on the group conditions of life calculated to bring about its physical destruction in whole or in part;
(d) Imposing measures intended to prevent births within the group;
(e) Forcibly transferring children of the group to another group.
Under this declaration, forcibly pushing multiculturalism and population replacement should be considered genocide. And against another group, they would be. As for previous (and predicted) census data, on the European population in Canada:
1971: 96% European
2016: 72% European
2036: 50% European (projected)
2100: <20% European (projected)
In less than 150 years, Canada will have gone from 96% European to less than 20%. These are government predictions. This is white genocide.
5. Millions Of Visitors Came In 2018
To be totally fair, the overwhelming majority of visitors to Canada (using Temporary Residence Visas and Electronic Travel Authorizations) likely caused no trouble in Canada and left when they were supposed to. Still 6 million people is an awful lot to have entered Canada in 2018.
6. More “Inadmissibles” Let Into Canada
Broadly speaking, there are two provisions within IRPA, the Immigrant and Refugee Protection Act, that allow people who were previously deemed inadmissible to Canada to be given Temporary Resident Permits anyway. Here are the totals from the Annual Reports to Parliament on Immigration. Note: the first one listed only started in 2010.
YEAR
TRP Issued
2010
17
2011
53
2012
53
2013
280
2014
385
2015
1,063
2016
596
2017
555
2018
669
From 2010 to 2018, a total of 3671 people who were otherwise inadmissible to Canada were allowed in anyway under Rule 25.2(1) of IRPA. This is the category that Global News previously reported on. As for the other one, under Rule 24(1) of IRPA, Global News leaves that out:
Year
Permits
Cumulative
2002
12,630
12,630
2003
12,069
24,699
2004
13,598
38,297
2005
13,970
52,267
2006
13,412
65,679
2007
13,244
78,923
2008
12,821
91,744
2009
15,640
107,384
2010
12,452
119,836
2011
11,526
131,362
2012
13,564
144,926
2013
13,115
158,041
2014
10,624
168,665
2015
10,333
178,998
2016
10,568
189,566
2017
9,221
198,787
2018
7,132
205,919
From 2002 to 2018 (inclusive), a total of 205,919 people previously deemed inadmissible to Canada were given Temporary Resident Permits anyway. This has almost certainly been going on for a lot longer, but is as far back as the reports go. Now let’s consider the reasons these people are initially refused entry.
SEC = Security (espionage, subversion, terrorism)
HRV = Human or International Rights Violations
CRIM = Criminal
S.CRIM = Serious Criminal
NC = Non Compliance
MR = Misrepresentation
YEAR
Total
SEC
HRV
Crim
S.Crim
NC
MR
2002
12,630
?
?
?
?
?
?
2003
12,069
17
25
5,530
869
4,855
39
2004
13,598
12
12
7,096
953
4,981
20
2005
13,970
27
15
7,917
981
4,635
21
2006
13,412
29
20
7,421
982
4,387
18
2007
13,244
25
8
7,539
977
4,109
14
2008
12,821
73
18
7,108
898
4,170
17
2009
15,640
32
23
6,619
880
7,512
10
2010
12,452
86
24
6,451
907
4,423
36
2011
11,526
37
14
6,227
899
3,932
11
2012
13,564
20
15
7,014
888
5,206
18
2013
13,115
17
10
6,816
843
5,135
8
2014
10,624
12
2
5,807
716
3,895
14
2015
10,333
3
3
5,305
578
4,315
28
2016
10,568
8
4
4,509
534
2,788
20
2017
9,221
10
5
5,035
591
3,412
121
2018
7,132
5
3
4,132
559
2,299
131
The original work for this section was done back in December 2019, but the findings as just as valid today.
7. Students & Temporary Workers
Canada’s International Student Program has also seen great demand in recent years . Canada’s standing as a destination of choice for international students has improved in the past few years, ranking in the top 4 international study destinations in 2018, up from seventh place in 2015. In 2018, there were more than 721,000 international students with valid study permits in Canada at all levels of study. Of this total, over 356,000 study permits were issued to international students in 2018, up 13% from 2017 . The increases in the number of post-secondary international students to Canada since 2008 represents relatively rapid growth as compared with other OECD countries
Moreover, 53,805 individuals who ever held a study permit in Canada were admitted as permanent residents, a 20% increase from 2017. Of these, 10,949 held their study permit in 2018, with the majority entering as economic immigrants.
The above passages are from page 7 of the 2019 report. Now, for a look at it since 2003:
Year
Stu
TFWP
IMP
Total
2003
61,293
82,151
–
143,444
2004
56,536
90,668
–
147,204
2005
57,476
99,146
–
156,622
2006
61,703
112,658
–
174,361
2007
64,636
165,198
–
229,834
2008
79,509
192,519
–
272,028
2009
85,140
178,478
–
263,618
2010
96,157
182,276
–
278,433
2011
98,383
190,842
–
289,225
2012
104,810
213,573
–
318,383
2013
111,865
221,310
–
333,175
2014
127,698
95,086
197,924
420,078
2015
219,143
73,016
175,967
468,126
2016
265,111
78,402
207,829
551,342
2017
317,328
78,788
224,033
620,149
2018
356,876
84,229
255,034
696,139
For some context: Canada went from admitting 60,000 student visas in 2003 to almost 360,000 in 2018. That is nearly 6 times as large over a 15 year span. Additionally, we went from about 80,000 temporary work visas in 2003 to over 320,000 (TFWP and IMP combined) in 2018.
8. Costs Of Illegal Aliens Via Roxham
In 2018, Canada received over 55,000 in-Canada asylum claims, the highest annual number received on record . Of these, approximately 35% were made by asylum claimants who crossed the Canada-U.S. border between designated ports of entry. To respond to these pressures, Budget 2018 provided $173.2 million over 2 years, starting in 2018–2019, to support security operations at the border and to increase decision-making capacity at the Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada. In addition, a deputy minister-level Asylum System Management Board was established in the spring of 2018 to improve coordination between organizations responsible for the asylum system.
Recognizing that provinces have faced pressures associated with the influx of irregular migrants, on June 1, 2018, the Government of Canada pledged an initial $50 million to assist the provinces that have borne the majority of costs associated with the increase in asylum claimants. This was followed by the establishment of the Interim Housing Assistance Program in early 2019, to support provinces and, if necessary, municipalities that incurred extraordinary interim housing costs in 2017 through 2019. As of September 2019, the government has provided provinces and municipalities with over $370 million to address pressures resulting from the increase in asylum claims. Maintaining border integrity, ensuring public safety and security, and treating asylum claimants with dignity and compassion continue to be key guiding principles for the Government of Canada.
Page 23 of the report gives some information about the costs that illegal aliens (fake refugees) are incurring on Canadians. This of course is in addition to the loss of sovereignty, danger to society, and watering down of our culture and heritage.
9. Workers Being Replaced By Foreigners
In 2018, the top 5 invited occupations were: software engineers and designers, information systems analysts and consultants, computer programmers and interactive media developers, financial auditors and accountants, and administrative assistants, Also in 2018, Canada admitted more than 92,000 new permanent residents through the Express Entry system, an increase of 41% over 2017
That is from page 8 of the report. Considering how man STEM graduates struggle to find work in their field, flooding the country with more of these workers makes it even harder. There should be other considerations besides simply the bottom line.
10. Wages Being Depressed
If poverty is increasing, and wages are going down, I don’t know why we need millions of people to be coming into this country as guest workers who’ll work for lower wages than American workers, and drive wages down even lower than they already are.
This video is from 2007. Bernie Sanders told Lou Dobbs that mass economic immigration leads to wages being driven down. There is nothing humanitarian about this, but rather about importing cheap foreign labour. However, since running for President, he has completely reversed himself.
This happens in Canada and elsewhere as well. Wages are a large part related to supply and demand. If you jack up the supply of something, its relative value drops. Programs like the Temporary Foreign Worker Program and the International Mobility Program flood Canada with cheap labour. The same is true with letting international students work while in school. It further adds to the supply.
Not only are wages stagnant or depressed, but the surplus labour means that Canadian citizens will have a harder time finding work. However, business interests will love it.
Also, to address the elephant in the room, these aren’t necessarily “temporary” migrants, as an awful lot of them will stay in Canada.
Even CTV News, was willing to address the issue, at least in 2007.
11. Remittances Sent Abroad<
(Statistics Canada actually estimates this stuff)
(Who says the Government isn’t good for anything?)
Year
Total ($B)
To 1st World
To 3rd World
Diff.
2013
$581B
$177B
$404B
$227B
2014
$592B
$162B
$430B
$268B
2015
$582B
$142B
$440B
$298B
2016
$573B
$144B
$429B
$285B
2017
$613B
$147B
$466B
$319B
2018
$689B
$161B
$528B
$367B
Sources For The Chart CLICK HERE, for World Bank, remittances in 2013. CLICK HERE, for World Bank, remittances in 2015. CLICK HERE, for World Bank, remittances in 2016. CLICK HERE, for World Bank, remittances in 2017. CLICK HERE, for World Bank, remittances in 2018.
As for Canada specifically, there is this finder.com/ca posting which estimates that $30 billion was sent out of Canada in 2017 as remittances. We are always told that immigration strengthens the economy. Yet when tens of billions are shipped abroad annually, it blows a hole in that theory.
12. Economic Value Over Social Cohesion
Page 5 of the report goes on about how diversity makes the country stronger, and that economic value is what the Canadian Immigration system should focus on.
Canada has long benefited from immigration and continues to welcome newcomers for economic, social and humanitarian reasons. While immigration to Canada benefits the country by filling in gaps in the labour market and boosting many sectors of the economy, our immigration system also fosters the reunification of families and provides protection to those at risk, including through the resettlement of refugees from outside Canada. In addition, our immigration system helps maintain the size of the working age population at a time when Canada’s overall population is aging and the need for skilled talent is increasing. Immigration works to counter these challenges, while enriching the social fabric of Canada.
Forget having bigger families. The way to maintain your working population is to import a replacement population, mainly from the 3rd world. What can possibly go wrong?
(From page 12 of the report, it continues….)
The global environment is evolving more rapidly than ever, introducing potentially significant changes to the labour market, from the way people work to the types of skills in demand and the integration of new technologies . Canada’s future economic success will depend, in part, on an immigration system that helps ensure that people with the right skills are in the right place, at the right time, to meet evolving labour market needs. Moreover, for immigration to be a continuing success, Canada’s approach will have to address factors such as labour market requirements, the impacts of automation, as well as region- and sector-specific needs. Given this, Canada is working to ensure that an evidence-based understanding of evolving labour market needs informs its approach to immigration.
Immigration has strengthened, and will continue to strengthen Canada as it helps to keep our country globally competitive by promoting innovation and economic growth through its support of diverse and inclusive communities.
What about an economic system that maintains the cultural and demographic makeup up the nation? How is a commitment to diversity a good thing when it leads to the fracturing of society? All that these people care about is money, and virtue signalling.
13. Canada Still Not Tracking Exits By Air
What really helps skew the data is the fact that Canada still does not have an entry/exit tracking system in place. We do keep exit records for people leaving for the U.S. but not flights to other countries. Consequently, we have no idea how many people illegally overstay their allotted time in Canada.
Despite a pledge in 2016, Trudeau still hasn’t fully implemented the system 4 years later. He’s clearly not serious about border security. But to be fair, successive Conservative Governments haven’t seen fit to do it either.
14. Conservative Inc. Supports Status Quo
Not entirely sure why Rempel would lie about something so easy to factcheck. Of course the TFWP is a potential pathway to permanent residence. Perhaps she knows few people will call her out on it.
Consider this for a moment: Michelle Rempel nearly became Immigration Minister. She supports putting Canadians to work in agriculture ONLY if it’s not possible to import a foreign work force. Nice to see a conservative finally being honest about this though.
It’s nice (in some sense) to see Rempel come out and admit that these “temporary” workers are in fact driving wages down, but she seems to support the idea.
Yes, temporary workers in Canada (and other Western nations) will often send money back home? But it’s no big deal, right? It won’t have any harmful effect? Perhaps not.
Article 139 of the CPC Policy Declaration is to convert temporary workers to permanent residents where possible. Rempel, as Immigration “Shadow Minister” or “Critic” presumably would have known that.
Beyond supporting mass migration, “Conservative Inc.” also supports partially erasing the Canadian border. CANZUK, as shown here, is the official CPC platform, in article 152.
15. Moratorium Needs To Be Seriously Discussed
Given all of the information available, a very serious public discussion needs to be had on putting a moratorium on immigration in Canada. This means we should talk about shutting it down completely, at least for a while.
In 2018, nearly 700,000 people came to Canada (or 696,132 to be exact), under student visas, and temporary work visas. While many will leave, an awful lot won’t. Yet these groups aren’t part of the discussion. When other categories are factored in, it is at least 900,000 people, and likely more.
Immigration in Canada is talked about in terms of the number of permanent residencies at a time, not how many people are actually entering. It distorts and obfuscates the real numbers. It’s also likely why there are large backlogs in applications.
Diversity is praised, and any expressed want for demographic and cultural stability is seen as bigotry. But there is nothing wrong with wanting to preserve our society as it is. It needs to be said: ethnicity, culture, heritage, language, religion and customs are what bond people. It is a common IDENTITY unites us, not abstract values and ideas.
Aside from virtue signalling, the focus in on the financial benefits employers and corporations can get. Flooding Canada with a surplus of labour drives down wages and forces extra competition on Canadian youth and graduates. Of course, these are the same people who support globalized trade (offshoring) of industries. This double tap results in INCREASED DEMAND for jobs and work, with a DECREASED SUPPLY. This leads to stagnant, and even declining wages.
Despite all the praise heaped for immigration growing the economy, remittances is a topic that rarely gets discussed. Tens of billions of dollars is sent abroad annually, typically to family members. How does that make us wealthier?
Since an entry/exit system is not fully implemented, we really have no way of knowing how many people are overstaying their welcome and remain here illegally.
Conservative Inc. — globalists who pretend to care about these topics — differ little than liberals. Those differences are mostly just rhetorical and meant for grandstanding.
A previous piece address the attempts by GAVI (the Global Vaccine Alliance) to lobby the Federal Government into pushing the vaxx agenda. GAVI used a lobbying firm called Crestview Strategy to do their dirty work
In going through the profiles of the Crestview Strategy staff, it becomes disturbingly obvious that many of them have political connections. In fact, many of them were involved in recent elections, getting politicians into office.
So what happens after their candidates gain power? Do they owe favours? Is there any quid pro quo? Or do people go their own way? It seems that the ties run deep. This list doesn’t even include everyone.
Crestview was lobbying the Federal Government at the end of January, 2020, even as the public is being told that there is nothing to worry about. Interesting.
The following bit was covered in the previous piece. There are 20 communications reports on file over the last two years where Crestview Strategy has lobbied the Federal Government on behalf of GAVI, the Global Vaccine Alliance.
Dates of Communications Reports
(1) 2018 March 8
(2) 2018 March 9
(3) 2018 March 9
(4) 2018 October 9
(5) 2018 October 9
(6) 2018 October 9
(7) 2018 October 10
(8) 2018 October 10
(9) 2018 October 10
(10) 2019 June 11
(11) 2019 June 11
(12) 2019 June 11
(13) 2019 June 12
(14) 2019 June 12
(15) 2019 June 12
(16) 2020 January 28
(17) 2020 January 29
(18) 2020 January 29
(19) 2020 January 29
(20) 2020 January 30
No, these aren’t duplications. The registry indicates multiple reports on these dates.
These are just the 20 reports that are on file with the Office of the Lobbying Commissioner. It’s fair to assume that there have been many, many more talks that aren’t documented.
Also, going through the profiles of the Crestview Strategy staff, it is troubling to see just how many of them have political connections. While people are allowed to vote and advocate as they please, there comes the serious question of conflicts on interest.
5. Crestview Lobbyist Ashton Arsenault
Prior to joining Crestview, Ashton worked as a political aid on Parliament Hill where he was responsible for parliamentary affairs and issues management for the Minister of National Revenue. Prior to that, he worked as a legislative researcher in the Official Opposition Office in Prince Edward Island. He continues to volunteer in electoral politics at the federal level.
Ashton has been involved in politics for several years, serving as a campaign manager for a Conservative candidate in the 2015 General Election. As well, he served as the University of Prince Edward Island’s Chair of Council from 2011-2012.
Among other roles, Arsenault helped with the 2015 election campaign of CPC candidate Andy Wang.
6. Crestview Lobbyist Zakery Blais
Zakery Blais is a Consultant with Crestview Strategy. With a focus on Canada-U.S. relations and international development, Zakery services clients globally.
His experience spans both the public and private sectors. He previously worked as a Legislative Assistant to a Canadian Member of Parliament, providing strategic political and communications advice. Prior to joining Crestview Strategy, Zakery also worked in various capacities in public affairs, including as an analyst focused on the energy and natural resources sectors.
That is from his profile on the Crestview Strategy webpage.
Fun fact: Blais was an assistant for David Lametti, a former Parliamentary Secretary, and currently the Attorney General of Canada. While Crestview CLAIMS it doesn’t operate on a who-you-know basis, the current lobbyist pushing this is the Attorney General’s former assistant. Not exactly arms length, is it?
7. Crestview Lobbyist Andrew Brander
With more than 15 years of experience in federal, provincial and municipal politics, Andrew brings an instinctive understanding of government and media relations, strategic communications and issues management.
Andrew spent a decade in Ottawa under the Harper Government, during which time he worked for Canada’s Minister of Transport, Minister of Labour and Minister of Natural Resources. On various occasions, he was recognized by his colleagues, appearing in The Hill Times Terrific 25 survey of top parliamentary staffers. During his time in opposition politics, he worked for the Finance Critic and served as Chief of Staff for the Deputy Leader of the Official Opposition. Andrew served as senior staff in the Ford Government, most recently as Director of Communications for The Honourable Rod Phillips, currently Ontario’s Finance Minister.
Brander spent a decade in Harper’s Government, and has also been in the Ontario Provincial Government.
8. Crestview Lobbyist Melissa Caouette
Melissa worked previously for a global law firm as a government affairs and public policy professional and as a Special Assistant to the Premier of Alberta. Melissa has been involved in a number of municipal, provincial and federal campaigns and is active within her community.
Interesting. She has been an assistant for the Alberta Premier, and has been involved in municipal, provincial and federal elections campaigns.
9. Crestview Lobbyist Nathan Carr
Prior to joining Crestview Strategy, Nathan led the digital campaigns practice at a prominent public relations and strategic communications agency in Toronto. As an early adopter of machine-learning in digital advertising, Nathan has helped break new ground in data-driven mobilization for political campaigns and public affairs clients alike. A skilled campaigner, Nathan has led teams to winning outcomes through federal, provincial, and municipal elections.
Carr was involved in the 2015 Federal election. In fact, he was the President of the High Park Liberal Riding Association.
10. Crestview Lobbyist Alex Chreston
Prior to joining the Crestview team, Alex served as a Senior Advisor to Toronto Mayor John Tory focusing on communications and events. He also spent a decade working at Queens Park where he served as a senior aide in the Office of the Leader of the Official Opposition under both John Tory and Tim Hudak.
Additionally, Alex has worked in strategic planning and execution on campaign teams for multiple provincial and local elections.
Chreston is yet another lobbyist with political connections. He has ties to the Ontario Conservatives, and to Toronto candidates.
11. Crestview Lobbyist Jason Clark
Prior to joining the Crestview Team, Jason has worked in public policy development and advocacy and engagement campaigns, most recently for Engineers Without Borders Canada. Since arriving in Ottawa he has worked work a wide range of Canadian Non-profit organizations on international development and trade issues. Previously, Jason managed one of the largest public engagement campaigns on climate change, energy and sustainability in Great Britain, working in partnership with all levels of government, business, industry and trade associations, the public sector and civil society. Jason has also worked with female entrepreneurs and social enterprises in Lesotho, Africa.
[Jason Clark] volunteered for several Ottawa-area Liberal Party of Canada candidates during the 2015 election campaign.
That is from his profile page with Crestview Strategy.
12. Crestview Lobbyist Hal Danchilla
Almost every political event in Alberta over the last 30 years has been shaped, advised, managed, directed or informed by Hal Danchilla. He has managed leadership and election campaigns nationally, provincially and locally including as a Chief of Staff and political advisor during the Klein administration, managing the successful underdog campaign of Stephen Mandel to become Mayor of Edmonton, the leadership and national campaign for Stockwell Day and the Canadian Alliance, and most recently a trusted advisor and campaign strategist for Jason Kenney.
Interesting. It claims that Danchilla is involved in all political affairs in Alberta over the last 3 decades. So when he lobbies it must have considerable clout.
13. Crestview Lobbyist Jordan Devon
Prior to joining Crestview, Jordan served as a communications intern in the United Nations office of the World Jewish Congress in Geneva, Switzerland.
He is an experienced communications professional, having staffed political campaigns at the municipal, provincial, and federal levels, as well as in the office of a Member of Parliament.
Quite the globalist here. He served as an intern at the United Nations for the office of the World Jewish Congress. Involved in campaigns at the local, provincial and federal levels. Helped get a current MP elected.
13. Crestview Lobbyist Grant Goldberg
Grant is a consultant based out of Crestview Strategy’s Toronto office. Prior to joining Crestview Strategy, Grant served as an intern in the United Kingdom where he assisted both the leader of a major political party and an opposition member in the House of Lords. Grant has also worked in international affairs, primarily with a London-based think-tank, and in the field of political risk.
Grant has been involved in Canadian politics and has worked on campaigns in both his local community and across Ontario.
Goldberg has been involved in politics for a long time. This is both in the UK, and across Ontario. It seems to be a portable skill.
14. Crestview Lobbyist Gabriela Gonzalez
Prior to joining the Crestview team, Gabriela worked at Queen’s Park for four years and is a long-time organizer with the Ontario Liberal Party and the Liberal Party of Canada. Most recently, she worked as a Senior Communications and Operations Advisor to Ontario’s Minister of Economic Development and Growth. Prior to that role, she was the Toronto Regional Advisor at the Liberal Caucus Service Bureau. She also worked for Premier Kathleen Wynne in her role as Minister of Agriculture and Food and Minister Jeff Leal as the Minister of Rural Affairs.
Gonzalez has extensive connections to both the Ontario Liberals and the Federal Liberals, and has helped out in Cabinet. A true political insider with extensive connections.
15. Crestview Lobbyist Susie Heath
Susie Heath is a Senior Consultant at Crestview Strategy based out of the Ottawa Office. Susie brings with her almost a decade of experience in communications, stakeholder engagement, government relations and political campaigns. Prior to joining Crestview, Susie spent a year practicing government relations in Ottawa, and prior to that, over three years in a senior national public affairs role at a global ridesharing company. During this period, she led the communications strategy which resulted in the regulation of ridesharing in communities across Canada.
Previously, Susie spent over six years at Queen’s Park, where she served as Senior Communications Advisor and Press Secretary to the Minister of Finance, as well as in a number of senior communications and legislative advisor roles to various Ministers.
She spent 6 years in Queen’s Park, as a Press Secretary for the Minister of Finance, and for other Ministers. Has also spent time in politics in Ottawa. Yet another who goes between provincial and federal politics.
16. Crestview Lobbyist Matthew John
Matthew John is Crestview Strategy’s Chief Operating Officer, bringing with him twenty years of experience in government, business strategy and public affairs.
In a career that has included leadership roles in both the private and public sector, Matthew previously served as Manager of Outreach in the office of Prime Minister Stephen Harper and has held executive positions in political parties at the federal and provincial level.
John was previously in the Prime Minister’s Office, and has served parties at both the Provincial and Federal level.
17. Crestview Lobbyist Gail Kelly
She has been a senior consultant with Crestview Strategy (formerly Canadian Strategy Group) since 2013. Prior to that she spent over six years working in provincial politics with the Progressive Conservative Association of Alberta. Her vast knowledge of the political process and understanding of provincial politics assists her in connecting the needs of clients with the opportunities presented by Government. She has worked with clients from numerous sectors, including not-for-profits, industry associations, corporations, and local businesses, achieving outcomes through strategy development, execution and messaging. Gail holds a BA from McGill University in Economics and Political Science.
Six years working with the Progress Conservative Association of Alberta. These people cross party lines and seem to be connected to everyone. Not only are a lot of these Crestview employees involved in politics, but many seem to have come from McGill University. A lot of politicians go there too.
18. Crestview Lobbyist Ella Klein
Ella was born and raised on Bowen Island and worked as a visitor experience guide at Bowen Island Tourism. Ella coordinated community events and provided support to visitors to the Island. Ella has volunteered on political campaigns at the provincial and federal levels in both British Columbia and Ontario. Ella continues to be involved with local political organizations, participating in canvassing, advocacy activities, and event planning.
Klein has political ties to both Ontario and BC. In fact, her profile indicates a prolific interest in politics, and now she is in a position to do something about it.
19. Crestview Lobbyist Joseph Lavoie
Joseph has more than a decade of campaign and public affairs experience, joining Crestview after years of honing his craft in the United States, Canada and abroad. As a senior political staffer, Joseph served Canada’s former Minister of Foreign Affairs, John Baird before serving former Prime Minister Stephen Harper as his Director of Strategic Communications.
Lavoie was a staffer for then Cabinet Minister John Baird, and then a staffer for Prime Minister Stephen Harper.
20. Crestview Lobbyist Madison Leach
Prior to joining Crestview Strategy, Madison worked as Office Manager and Executive Assistant to Ontario’s Attorney General and Minister of Francophone Affairs where she played a lead role in day to day operations and logistics for the Attorney General and staff, and provided planning support for Ministerial tour.
Madison has worked in various roles within the Ontario Public Service, including at the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food, and Rural Affairs in policy, program and corporate areas. More recently, Madison provided executive support at the Ministry of the Attorney General to the Chief Administrative Officer and played a key role during the July 2018 government transition, onboarding Attorney General’s office staff and acting as a liaison between the Minister’s office and the Ministry. Madison has also worked for Sodexo as Manager of Operations.
Leach held various roles including support for the Ontario Attorney General’s Office.
21. GAVI Lobbying Multiple Parties
22. Rob Silver, Katie Telford’s Husband
Liberal strategist and former pundit Rob Silver said Monday he has left the government relations firm he helped create, citing his wife’s position as Justin Trudeau’s chief of staff.
“Effective Dec. 31, 2015 I am no longer a shareholder or employee of Crestview Strategy,” Silver said in an email Monday afternoon.
Silver was a partner in the Toronto- and Ottawa-based public affairs agency that, among other things, lobbies the federal government on behalf of clients.
Rob Silver, husband of Katie Telford, Trudeau’s Chief-of-Staff, helped start up Crestview Strategy, the lobbying firm that GAVI hired to push the vaccine agenda.
23. Crestview Secures $800M Grant To GAVI
Trudeau’s Government gave $800 million to GAVI, the Gates funded vaccine alliance. I don’t suppose the Silver-Telford relationship and the incessant lobbying had anything to do with it.
24. Political Cronies In Lobbying
There are others, of course. However, the article will stop here, as the point has already been made.
Political staffers and party figures shouldn’t be in the business of lobbying. Aside from the obvious conflict of interest, it does the public a huge disservice. These influence peddlers should be called out for what they are.
Keep in mind, the firm of Crestview Strategy has lobbied the Federal Government at least 20 times on behalf of GAVI, the Global Vaccine Alliance that is funded by the Gates Foundation. Gates is using an organization he funds to hire Liberal cronies (Zakery Blais and Jason Clark) to lobby the Liberal Party of Canada.
I suppose if the Conservatives were in power, Crestview would be using CPC cronies to do the lobbying. After all, they have enough of them on staff.
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