Agriculture minister Ritz is the most lobbied in Ottawa.

[farmgal71]

I saw this story on twitter and it made me mad. The lobbyists represent big money interests. What can farmers do?
Any thoughts?



The Parliament Hill newspaper The Hill Times researched the numbers.

Under federal legislation, anyone lobbying federal ministers or officials to influence policy development or outcome must register as lobbyists and then report any contact.

According to the registry of lobbyist actions, Ritz held 111 meetings last year on topics ranging from trade, supply management and food inspection legislation reforms to potash industry control and pork industry problems.

[dave4441]

Just a bit of a clarification on this. Lobbyists don't represent only big money, they also include all the Ag organizations. FOr instance, many Pulse Canada staff have to be registered as lobbyists and i am sure the other Ag organizations do as well. He probaly has a big list of people wanting to see him because he is listening to what people have to say and causing change, unlike other Ag Ministers of the past.

[farmgal71]

Thanks Dave,

I don't have much direct experience here.

I hear lobbyist and think of slick talker with lots of money in the jacket pocket.

[LWeber]

Its 40 frikkin below - knock yourself out....


https://ocl-cal.gc.ca/app/secure/orl/lrrs/do/cmmnctnsByRprtngPrd;jsessionid=00024egZHUaunWYdm17 FwzKj3Z1:3N59RNUS3V

[bobofthenorth]

Any fool that wants to talk to a politician is supposed to be registered as a lobbyist but in actual fact the number of visitors vastly exceeds the number of registered lobbyists. Commodity association board members, for example, will do their "lobbying" under a registration for the exec director. And FWIW, having been there doing "lobbying", the pols pay a lot more attention to votes than they do to money. IOW, when the big corps come to visit they are polite but when associations that represent a bunch of voters come to visit they actually listen.

[sddickson]

Shows Mr. Ritz is doing his job, as he should.
A great ag minister needs to be in touch with current events and new idea's.
Just because he holds meetings with lobbiests outside of that NFU box .. does'nt make him a bad ag minister.
Meetings with lobbiests shows he is willing to listen and work towards a better future for Canada's ag industry as a whole.
Let's face it ... The NFU has ran it's course... and sank with the old single desk mentality.

[carebear300]

I do agree the NFU and sask wheat pool have fell by the wayside, thank goodness a breath of fresh air. And as far as agriculture getting by with less that isnt totally a bad thing. I don't want to hear that they have spent the savings on high priced consultants to come up with new ideas tho. That just becomes a patrionage plum for the ruling political parties flunkies.

[wilagro]

ATTENTION: Most of the foregoing postings signify a LOVE-IN for the "Greatest Ag Minister" that Canada has ever had. What's next a brass statue in the future like the one for Louis Riel?...another of our forgotten heroes.

[gustgd]

Dave's right. Many of Ritz's visits would be
farmers. Also the point about representing votes
was a good one. When it's a crop life company
lobbying for more effective PMRA rules it's one
thing. If I on behalf of the WG members ask for
the same thing so we can use the same tools as
our international competitors it's another. Same
ask for different reasons.

When the Conservatives first got in they took a
different view on lobbying. Anyone that wanted a
meeting had to be a registered lobbiests. That has
relaxed now.

I've had good access to Ritz and his staff, I've
also never been turned down when looking to
meet opposition critics.

[chuckChuck]

Regardless of the number of lobbyists, it is pretty obvious which side of the political spectrum Ritz pays attention to. Smart politicians shouldn't go out of their way to alienate their enemies but Ritz seem to relish it. Ritz can look forward to some directorships in agribusiness after his political career is finished. A big corporate thank you for a job well done in ensuring farmers will have less say in their future.

[dave4441]

I think you are on the money Wilagro. Brass
statue as thanks from future generations of W
Canadian farmers. Downtown Winnipeg a good
location?

[TOM4CWB]

Dave,

Gerry deserves something after putting up with all the
name calling the likes of Willy and Burb have done over
the past few years!
In the middle of the traffic circle at portage and main
would be just fine with me! Minister Ritz has got to be
one of the hardest working Ministers on the hill. He
was at Farmtech yesterday... by far one of the most
accessible Minister or Ag in the past 50 years... which
is why folks visit Gerry!

Cheers!

[blackpowder]

dyin to hear who Wilagros' favorite
minister was! Anyone want to guess?

[Kodiak]

I'm gonna do the three guess thing:

1. Hazen Argue (remember him? Trudeau's 'bird salute' to the West)

2. Eugene Whelen ("Too much sun will fry your brains!")

3. Ok. None of the others were communists. They also had something between their ears besides a vacuum. So only two guesses.

Man, am I caustic this morning or what?

[parsley]

Eugene Whelan must have gotten wilagro eating
a lot of beef because he vets ferociously some
days