Welcome
Definition of lobbying:
- To conduct activities aimed at influencing public officials and especially members of a legislative body on legislation (Merriam-Webster online dictionary)
- Any attempt by individuals or private interest groups to influence the decisions of government; in its original meaning it referred to efforts to influence the votes of legislators, generally in the lobby outside the legislative chamber. Lobbying in some form is inevitable in any political system. (Britannica online)
In Canada and the United States registered lobbying is a regulated activity at the federal level governed by legislation. There are also many other interest groups that communicate their views to government in an unofficial manner.
Reference Materials:
Government Information
Canada - Federal:
- Office of the Commissioner of Lobbying of Canada
Including: - Office of the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner
- Federal Accountability website For information about the Federal Accountability Program
Canada - Provincial:
- Alberta Lobbyists Registration (Office of the Ethics Commissioner of Alberta)
- Office of the Registrar of Lobbyists for British Columbia
- Canadian Conflict of Interest Network
- Newfoundland and Labrador Commission of Lobbyists Annual reports
- Nova Scotia Registry of Lobbyists
- Ontario Office of the Integrity Commissioner
- Quebec Lobbyist Commissioner
Foreign:
United Kingdom
- Lobbying: Access and influrence in Whitehall (House of Commons, Public Administration Select Committee)
United States
- Federal lobbying records
- U.S. Congress
- Lobbying disclosure (Office of the Clerk, House of Representatives)
- Public disclosure (Office of Public Records, Senate)
- Internal Revenue Service
- Political organization filing and disclosure
- rules for tax exemption An organization may engage in some lobbying, but too much lobbying activity risks loss of tax-exempt status.
- Office of the Special Counsel Political activity (Hatch Act)
- USA.gov
A searchable site that includes links to both federal and state level links relating to lobbying.
International:
European Union
- The Commission and Interest Representatives (European Commission)
Transparency Register - Transparency website
OECD
Laws & Legislation
Canada - Federal:
Foreign:
United States
Websites
The following are selected non-governmental resources for information about lobbying and lobbyists:
Canada
- Hillwatch: Issues and Associations Directory: directory to the public policy content of associations, interest groups, NGOs, coalitions, and corporations. Web sites are arranged by sector and issue area with Canadian web sites first followed by a selection of International sites
- Journalism.net Canadian lobbyists
United Kingdom
- UK Public Affairs Council (UKPAC) is an independent organization, funded by its founding bodies, whose governance is of the highest standards. Although membership will initially be drawn from the APPC, the CIPR and the PRCA, it is intended to open the UKPAC to public affairs practitioners from all walks of life in the future. "For the first time the public can be confident that lobbyists from all walks of life, be they in corporations, charities, local authorities, law and accountancy firms, management or communications consultancies, think tanks and public affairs companies, will be able to be monitored by a single, independent organization." (website)
United States
- Center for Responsive Politics Lobbying Database
- Political advocacy groups: a directory of United States lobbyists
- National Political Index a web site which provides an index of substantive political information for voters, political activists, political consultants, lobbyists, politicians, academicians, and media editors
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