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From the Vancouver Sun --
New Democratic Party attorney-general critic Leonard Krog says he has unearthed more evidence that two high-ranking Liberal campaign strategists lobbied the government without properly registering.
"This proves that the Lobbyist Registration Act is completely inadequate," Krog said Monday.
He said he had sent new documents to registrar of lobbyists David Loukidelis in support of a request for an investigation he made in June.
"A lot of lobbying has clearly gone on with this government by people who weren't registered," Krog said.
The new documents appear to show that Mark Jiles - Premier Gordon Campbell's former constituency campaign manager - met with or corresponded directly with at least two ministers on behalf of his clients, without being registered as a lobbyist for those activities.
The documents show Jiles met with then-tourism, sports and the arts minister Olga Ilich in 2005, along with Peter Leitch of Lions Gate Studios.
Jiles was apparently working on behalf of B.C.'s Motion Picture Production Industry Association at the time.
Jiles also wrote then-finance minister Carole Taylor in March 2007 in support of the provincial film tax credit. Taylor replied with a personal note of acknowledgment.
Jiles was not registered to lobby on behalf of the motion picture industry until December 2007, the provincial registry shows.
Documents obtained independently by The Vancouver Sun show Jiles also arranged and attended a meeting in 2007 with Environment Minister Barry Penner on behalf of the New Car Dealers Association of B.C.
In an e-mail to Penner's staff, Jiles said the meeting was to "discuss a number of the environmental issues relating to vehicle emissions and the use of hybrid vehicles and the ... tax laws that relate to these vehicles in the Province of British Columbia."
Jiles registered to lobby on behalf of the New Car Dealers Association at the beginning of 2008.
Documents obtained by the NDP show Patrick Kinsella - election campaign chairman for the B.C. Liberal Party in both 2001 and 2005, who runs a public affairs business with Jiles - sat at a table with then-forests minister Rich Coleman at a luncheon in 2006 meant to match business leaders with the premier and members of cabinet.
In a previously obtained document, the company run by Jiles and Kinsella said it had been hired by Canfor from January 2004 to January 2007 to "assist ... with the provincial and federal governments in regards to complex softwood lumber issues."
The new document gives no indication of what, if anything, was discussed between Kinsella and Coleman at the 2006 lunch with the premier and cabinet. Other logging industry representatives were at the same table.
Kinsella is not registered as a lobbyist in B.C.
Jiles did not respond Monday to an interview request made by telephone and e-mail.
In response to allegations leveled by Krog in June, Jiles issued a written statement on behalf of his and Kinsella's company.
"At the Progressive Group, we are proud to provide our clients with strategic counsel and advice to help them meet their goals," the statement said.
"From time to time, in performing these services for clients, our firm carries out assignments that require communication with public office holders," it said.
"In each and every one of these cases, the Progressive Group registers, as required, under the Lobbyists Registration Act."
In June, Krog wrote Loukidelis requesting an investigation into the firm's lobbying activities in B.C. on behalf of the Washington state government.
The company said in its statement it had not registered for that work because "none of the services provided to this client constituted lobbying as defined by the legislation."
Current laws surrounding lobbying do not require registration for some interactions with government officials, but consultant lobbyists must register even if they are arranging for a client to meet with the holder of a public office.
Attorney-General Wally Oppal refused comment Krog's allegations, but said the government is working on updating the lobbying legislation.
"We're in the process of gathering information," he said. "I think some of the areas that need to be looked at are the enforcement area. We'd like to do it sooner than later."
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