Several companies were quick to push for meetings with key elected officials and bureaucrats in order to make sure they could continue to operate during the early stages of the COVID-19 outbreak. (Shutterstock)
The COVID-19 pandemic triggered a new burst of lobbying in New Brunswick by professional consultants hired to advance their clients' interests with the Higgs government.
The online registry of lobbyists shows that several companies were quick to push for meetings with key elected officials and bureaucrats in order to make sure they could continue to operate during the early stages of the outbreak.
Major corporations, including Staples Canada, Johnston Equipment and Restaurant Brands International, the owners of Tim Hortons, deployed professional lobbyists to make the case their businesses were essential.
In some cases, companies used lobbyists with Progressive Conservative connections.
Former executive assistant one of lobbyists
Eric Pelletier, a former executive assistant to PC ministers in the Bernard Lord government, registered as a lobbyist for Pulmonem Inc. (Submitted/Prospectus Associates)
Dieppe-based Pulmonem Inc., which says on its website it wants to test an existing generic drug to treat inflammation caused by COVID-19, hired Eric Pelletier, a former executive assistant to PC ministers in the Bernard Lord government.
Pelletier's registration, dated May 11, said he would arrange meetings with Department of Health officials, the office of Premier Blaine Higgs and the COVID-19 task force "to receive support from NB government for clinical testing of a drug that may be used to treat COVID-19."
Meanwhile, Halifax-based lobbyist Robert Batherson, a former press secretary to one–time Nova Scotia PC Premier John Hamm, registered in April to lobby for Tim Hortons.
Rob Batherson, a former press secretary to one–time Nova Scotia PC Premier John Hamm, registered in April to lobby for Tim Hortons. (CBC)
Batherson's registration says he intended to talk to Higgs's chief of staff and two ministerial assistants "regarding Tim Hortons locations in New Brunswick providing essential food services during the COVID-19 global pandemic."
Pelletier works for a consulting firm called Prospectus. Another Prospectus employee who works as Pulmonem's spokesperson did not respond to questions from CBC News.
Batherson said he couldn't comment and referred questions to Tim Hortons, which didn't respond.
Registered after federal contract awarded
Jordan O'Brien, the former chief of staff to Liberal Premier Brian Gallant, registered to represent Fredericton-based LuminUltra Technologies, which has a federal contract to provide COVID-19 testing. (Facebook)
Not all of the lobbyists had PC credentials: Jordan O'Brien, the former chief of staff to Liberal premier Brian Gallant, registered on April 29 to represent Fredericton-based LuminUltra Technologies.
That was two weeks after the federal Liberal government announced that LuminUltra had won a national contract to provide chemicals for 500,000 COVID-19 tests per week.
It's not clear from O'Brien's registration why he had to lobby the province two weeks after LuminUltra won the contract.
The registration says he wanted to speak to deputy ministers and other top officials about "limits" in the province's emergency order "that prevent technical experts from other provinces to come to work on an urgent project relating to the COVID-19 pandemic."
LuminUltra CEO Pat Whalen told CBC News in April that landing the contract involved weeks of working "pretty close to around the clock" with the Public Health Agency of Canada.
Whalen called it an "exciting, very fast moving … interesting time." He and O'Brien did not comment on the lobbying Monday.
Government 'heard' from many
Government spokesperson John McNeill said Monday in an emailed statement that the COVID-19 response "led to many actions that none of us have ever experienced before."
He said the government "heard from a number of stakeholders, including citizens, businesses and others who reached out to government for clarification on requirements under the mandatory order."
A spokesperson said the provincial government heard from a number of stakeholders, including citizens, businesses and others who reached out to government for clarification on requirements under the mandatory order. (CBC)
Having businesses "step up" to provide essential services "is exactly the sort of private sector leadership that we saw across society that has helped get us to the point we are at today," he said. New Brunswick's public lobbyist registry has been in place since 2017.
It requires anyone who is paid to try to influence governments or win access to decision-makers to register publicly, whether they are hired consultants or in-house employees.
The sheer number of government orders and policies put in place starting in March, when the first COVID-19 cases appeared in the province, prompted seven such lobbyists to leap into action.
Lobbying as an essential service important
Natalie Dash of Campbell Strategies Inc. registered on March 20 to represent Staples Canada, the chain of office-supply stores. She listed her objective as "ensuring continued access to consumer essentials, business, janitorial and cleaning supplies throughout the COVID-19 crisis."
Leslie Noble of Strategy Corp. registered five days later to represent Sysco Canada, a national food wholesaler and distributor.
Noble's registration said she would try to set up meetings with officials including Higgs "to offer the assistance of Sysco Canada regarding supply chain and coordination of the distribution of food and other goods in the fight against COVID-19."
And Marisa Maslink, a lobbyist with McMillan Vantage, registered on April 6 on behalf of Johnston Equipment, seeking to meet Public Safety Minister Carl Urquhart to "share" information "about the essential nature of Johnston Equipment's work during the COVID-19 crisis."
Meanwhile, Andrew House, a lobbyist with Fasken Martineau DuMoulin LLP, sought meetings with Higgs, several cabinet ministers and Moncton South Liberal MLA Cathy Rogers on behalf of Asurion, a company that provides insurance for consumer electronics.
He said he would lobby "about insurance laws and consumer protection laws, specifically about the legal classification of electronic warranty products and … about emergency response measures related to COVID-19."
Other than Batherson, none of the lobbyists responded to requests for comment from CBC News.
Jacques Poitras has been CBC's provincial affairs reporter in New Brunswick since 2000. Raised in Moncton, he also produces the CBC political podcast Spin Reduxit.
David Amos Methinks there is no need to call Jordan O'Brien and Rob Batherson again They should recall my concerns quite well but I bet they have no clue why I enjoyed my conversation with Andrew House N'esy Pas?
David Amos Welcome back to the circus
David Amos
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Methinks there is no need for me to call Jordan O'Brien and Rob Batherson because they should recall my concerns with Higgy et al quite well N'esy Pas?
David Amos
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Reply to @David Amos: Furthermore the lawyer Andrew House, his old boss Rob Moore, his pal Higgy, the RCMP and legions of politicians and bureaucrats know that the issues between he and I are huge but I have no memory of Bernie Lord's buddy Eric Pelletier at all. Hence he is the dude I will call for rather obvious reasons N'esy Pas?
David Amos
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Reply to @David Amos: FYI Eric Pelletier did not pick up so I left him a voicemail, However I did enjoy my brief conversation with Andrew House in order to remind him how much I pay attention.
Michael G. L. Geraldson Sorry Tim's, but on my list of essential services you'd be somewhere near the bottom of the list.
David Peters
Reply to @Michael G. L. Geraldson: Raises the question of exactly who, how, when, and where the decision of who and what are essential is done? All of a sudden this is a huge thing.
David Amos
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Reply to @Michael G. L. Geraldson: Don't try drinking their coffee in their parking lot after you bought it
Michael G. L. Geraldson
Reply to @David Amos: I stopped buying from them years ago. Not the great business it once was.
Terry Tibbs
Reply to @Michael G. L. Geraldson: Everyone needs a laxative once in a while?
David Amos
Reply to @Terry Tibbs: Hmmm
John Smith Reply to @Michael G. L. Geraldson: They stayed open during the pademic because a "Conservative" friend whispered in Blaine's right ear.
Dennis Atchison It should would be nice if media would report accurately. All through the pandemic coverage media portray leadership as "the Higgs Government", which is completely misleading (intentionally, I suspect). It is a four-way minority government, meaning, at each step in the process to deal with the pandemic a collaborative and consensus decision-making process has been in effect. Mr. Higgs simply gets to be the messenger (along with Ms. Russell ... and we don't call it the Russell health care system). Seems media continue to struggle with the facts, and desire to put our politics back into the two-party system. Your job is to report, not influence ... and so much work being done between the four parties has been exceptional ... and unreported. When the dust settles on the pandemic, the narrative should be how well a four-way minority government can work ... especially under such unanticipated pressure ... and how collaborative and cooperative politics is the most desirable decision-making process. But I fear media does not want that, a healthy democracy ... because media's actions continue on a very old, and very dysfunctional, path.
Dennis Atchison
Reply to @Dennis Atchison: Apologies for the typo (can't go back and edit once posted it seems) ... first line to be "It would be nice ..."
David Amos
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Reply to @Dennis Atchison: Cry me a river
Matt Steele
Reply to @Dennis Atchison: ....Not totally correct as it would be Higgs , as Premier of N.B. , who would make the final call for what policies that the govt. puts in place . Lots of folks can , and do , make recommendations ; but at the end of the day , the " Premier " of the province makes the final decision , and receives the cheers or jeers depending on the outcome of the decision .
Dianne MacPherson
Reply to @Dennis Atchison: How would the Public know that "so much work being done between the four Parties has been exceptional" when all committee work is held in secret ??? From all that I've read/seen Premier Higgs is THE Leader who rightly should speak for the Province !!!
John Smith
Reply to @Dianne MacPherson: LOL. If you said DICTATOR, I would have agreed with you
Rob Sense
Reply to @Dianne MacPherson: with the support of 40% of the population???
Raises the question of exactly who, how, when, and where the decision of who and what are essential is done? All of a sudden this is a huge thing.
I stopped buying from them years ago. Not the great business it once was.
Everyone needs a laxative once in a while?