Laurentian University Protocol on Provincial Lobbying

The following protocol will apply to any Laurentian University (the “University”) initiated contact with Ontario Public Office Holders (“POH”):

1. Any University initiated contact which could be characterized as “lobbying” must be vetted and approved by the President or their designate;
2. The President or their designate shall control any entry on the Ontario Lobbyist Registry (related to any University initiated contact with a POH);
3. The President or their designate will track lobbying activities of all employees who engage in such activities, and register names with, and report to, the Office of the Integrity Commissioner when employees collectively spend 50 hours or more per calendar year;
4. The President, as the University’s most senior officer, shall be responsible for directing all government relations activities for the University, and ensuring compliance with the provisions of the Act that prohibit the use of public funds to retain consultant lobbyists to provide lobbyist services;
5. Any University initiated contact with POH shall ensure that such activity does not knowingly place a POH in a position of real or potential conflict of interest.

This Protocol recognizes that University initiated contact which can be characterized as lobbying is most likely to occur where an approach to a Minister, officer or employee of the Crown is made, but any member of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario or any person on their staff is also a POH. 

The University is not responsible for registering any approach to a POH which is directed at securing any individual government grant or similar dispensation or award, and any University employee or representative engaged in such an approach is encouraged to seek their own counsel to determine any requirements to register pursuant to the Act. For the purpose of this Protocol, lobbying is defined as communicating with a public office holder in an attempt to influence:

• The development of any legislative proposal by the Government of Ontario or by a member of the Legislative Assembly;
• The introduction of any bill or resolution in the Legislative Assembly of Ontario or the passage, defeat or amendment of any bill or resolution that is before the Legislative Assembly;
• The making or amendment of any regulation;
• The development or amendment of any policy or program of the Government of Ontario or the termination of any program of the Government of Ontario;
• A decision by the Executive Council to transfer from the Crown for consideration all or part of, or any interest in or asset of, any business, enterprise or institution that provides goods or services to the Crown or to the public;
• A decision by the Executive Council, a committee of the Executive Council or a minister of the Crown to have the private sector instead of the Crown provide goods or services to the Crown;
• The awarding of any grant, contribution or other financial benefit by or on behalf of the Crown.

As the senior officer of the University, the President shall also identify and document any University initiated contact with a POH which is determined to be governed by one of the exceptions to registration under the Act.

If you would like to make a request to engage in lobbying an Ontario POH on behalf of the University or you are unsure whether the activity you are looking to engage in constitutes lobbying, you must make your request through the Office of the President via email at: president@laurentian.ca.