OTTAWA — With the increase in the number of independent Senators, lobbying of the upper chamber has increased significantly — and, observers say, that’s a trend that’s likely to continue. Lobbyists registered more meetings with senators and Senate staffers in 2016 than in any other year on record, a threefold increase from 2015 and well above typical margins under the majority Conservative government. Last year, 687 communications between lobbyists and senators were registered with the office of the federal lobbying commissioner. “Independent senators present their own opportunity because there’s no traditional allegiances there, so they can kind of work on their own.”Another lobbyist told the Post that senators have become more open to amending legislation. Health care is the subject on which senators are most frequently lobbied, accounting for more than 200 meetings in the last year.

Source: National Post March 05, 2017 17:34 UTC