UNews - Government Relations Office

Government anouncements set stage

trevor.kenney — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 22:17:58 +0000

By RICHARD WESTLUND

This week will be very telling for Alberta's post-secondary sector as Alberta's Speech from the Throne is read (Feb. 7) and the Government of Alberta's budget is released (Feb. 9).

Alberta Finance Minister Ron Liepert has hinted that the budget will not include any large expenditures or adversely any deep cuts, and that the health and education sectors remain priority areas for the government.

The U of L has spent a great deal of time over the past year advocating for stable and predictable funding that reflects the institution's mandate. Any budget documents from this week's release will be available on the Government Relations blog (blogs.ulethbridge.ca/government-relations).

Cabinet tour hits U of L

In late January, Alberta cabinet ministers took part in an outreach tour of the province. Minister of Culture and Community Services, Heather Klimchuk, along with Advanced Education and Technology Minister, Greg Weadick, spent some time on campus looking at various facilities. Considering the cultural component to Klimchuk's responsibilities, she was shown the Digital Audio Arts facility as well as some of the Art Gallery's storage areas. Klimchuk had the opportunity to see some amazing pieces from the U of L Art Collection while on a tour last year as well. She understands the uniqueness of the Art Gallery's program as a valuable teaching resource for our students, as well as a cultural resource for the broader public.

Ministerial Decks

In an effort to make both elected and non-elected government members more aware of the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ's teaching and research strengths, the Government Relations Office is creating general briefings, or Ministerial Decks.

These general briefings are sent directly to managers, directors, assistant deputy ministers, deputy ministers, elected members and their staff, as well as made available on the U of L's Government Relations website (www.uleth.ca/president/government-relations).

In recent months, briefings related to the U of L's relevance in the agriculture industry and issues related to water and the environment have been created and released. The third installment, focusing on health and wellness, will be available shortly.

One of the challenges of this project is including only a few of the many compelling stories the U of L has to offer in these areas. The goal of these publications is to ensure the U of L is viewed as an institution that has a significant role to play in issues that resonate with the government and citizens of Alberta.

Richard Westlund is the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ's director of government relations.

This story first appeared in the February 2012 edition of The Legend. To view the full issue in a flipbook format, follow this link.

Lobbying Act must be kept in mind

trevor.kenney — Mon, 07 Nov 2011 20:46:55 +0000

More and more often, grant applications contain sections warning applicants that they are responsible for ensuring that anyone lobbying on their behalf is doing so while in compliance with Canada's Lobbying Act.

As individuals seeking grants complete applications across campus, I will take this opportunity to provide a cursory overview of what the Lobbying Act is and the measures the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ must take to ensure compliance. Further, I would encourage anyone who has questions about the act to visit the commissioner's website. The U of L Government Relations Office (A764) is available to answer questions that faculty or staff may have regarding the registry.

The Federal Lobbying Act dictates that universities (and a myriad of other private-sector and public organizations) must report specific lobbying encounters when speaking with Designated Public Office Holders (DPOHs). These individuals include cabinet ministers, deputy ministers, associate deputy ministers, MPs, Members of the Senate and any exempt staff working in the offices of these members.

The U of L is required to update its lobby registration on an ongoing basis. This registration contains general information about the institution, the grants it receives, the individuals that act in a lobbying capacity for the institution and the subject matter on which the U of L intends to lobby the federal government. The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ is also responsible for reporting its "oral and arranged" communication after a listed employee advocates for a benefit (whether financial or to influence policy or legislation) for the institution. These monthly communication reports must be submitted by the 15th day of the following month from when the interaction occurred. This is done through the Government Relations Office.

Faculty members have the academic freedom to speak to members of the federal government as persons with expertise. If a faculty member lobbies for a benefit to the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ, they, and their subject matter, must be included in the U of L's registration. However, if an employee or faculty member is advocating for the greater public good (and not a specific benefit) they are not required to register or report their interaction.

At various times, individuals throughout campus are involved in projects that involve interacting with the Federal Government. Again, the Government Relations Office can help to ensure you are fulfilling the legal requirements of the federal Lobbying Act. More information can be found online at www.ocl-cal.gc.ca/eic/site/lobbyist-lobbyiste1.nsf/eng/home.

Richard Westlund is the Director of Government Relations at the U of L. In an effort to better inform different parts of our campus and external communities about the various government relations activities that occur at the U of L, he has started a blog. Visit it at blogs.ulethbridge.ca/government-relations

This story first appeared in the November issue of the Legend. For a look at the Legend in a flipbook format, follow this link.

Lobbying Act Sees Significant Change

trevor.kenney — Mon, 01 Nov 2010 19:55:40 +0000

At one time, the federal Lobbying Act seemed geographically removed from the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge. Most of the individuals the U of L was required to report its lobbying interactions with were located in Ottawa or, to a lesser extent, other major Canadian cities.

With a new regulation in place that brings Members of Parliament and Senators into the rules that govern lobbyists, it is particularly important that the broader U of L community become aware of how the landscape has changed.

The Lobbying Act dictates that organizations must report specific lobbying encounters when speaking with Designated Public Office Holders (DPOH). Up until last month, these individuals included cabinet ministers, deputy ministers, associate deputy ministers and their exempt staffs. The federal government has now broadened this list of individuals to include, among others, MPs, Members of the Senate or any exempt staff working in the offices of these members.

The U of L is required to update its lobby registration on an ongoing basis. This registry contains general information about the institution, the grants it receives, the individuals that act in a lobbying capacity for the institution and the subject matter upon which the U of L intends to lobby the federal government. The U of L is also responsible for reporting its "oral and arranged" communication after a listed employee advocates for a benefit (whether financial or to influence policy or legislation) for the institution. These monthly communication reports must be submitted by the 15th day of the following month from when the interaction occurred. This is done through the U of L's Government Relations Office.

��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ faculty members have the academic freedom to speak to members of the federal government as persons with expertise. If faculty members lobby for a benefit for the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ, they, and their subject matter, must be included in the U of L's registry. However, if an employee or faculty member is advocating for the greater public good (and not a specific benefit), they are not required to register or report their interaction.

At various times, individuals throughout campus are involved in projects that involve interacting with the federal government. The Government Relations Office can help to ensure you are fulfilling the legal requirements of the federal Lobbying Act.

For more information on this issue, check it out online at www.ocl-cal.gc.ca/eic/site/lobbyist-lobbyiste1.nsf/eng/home

Richard Westlund is the U of L's director of government relations and can be reached at 403-332-5251 or at richard.westlund@uleth.ca

Lobbying Act Sees Significant Change

trevor.kenney — Thu, 14 Oct 2010 18:48:48 +0000

At one time, the federal Lobbying Act seemed geographically removed from the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge. Most of the individuals the U of L was required to report its lobbying interactions with were located in Ottawa or, to a lesser extent, other major Canadian cities.

With a new regulation in place that brings Members of Parliament and Senators into the rules that govern lobbyists, it is particularly important that the broader U of L community become aware of how the landscape has changed.

The Lobbying Act dictates that organizations must report specific lobbying encounters when speaking with Designated Public Office Holders (DPOH). Up until last month, these individuals included cabinet ministers, deputy ministers, associate deputy ministers and their exempt staffs. The federal government has now broadened this list of individuals to include, among others, MPs, Members of the Senate or any exempt staff working in the offices of these members.

The U of L is required to update its lobby registration on an ongoing basis. This registry contains general information about the institution, the grants it receives, the individuals that act in a lobbying capacity for the institution and the subject matter upon which the U of L intends to lobby the federal government. The U of L is also responsible for reporting its "oral and arranged" communication after a listed employee advocates for a benefit (whether financial or to influence policy or legislation) for the institution. These monthly communication reports must be submitted by the 15th day of the following month from when the interaction occurred. This is done through the U of L's Government Relations Office.

��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ faculty members have the academic freedom to speak to members of the federal government as persons with expertise. If faculty members lobby for a benefit for the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ, they, and their subject matter, must be included in the U of L's registry. However, if an employee or faculty member is advocating for the greater public good (and not a specific benefit), they are not required to register or report their interaction.

At various times, individuals throughout campus are involved in projects that involve interacting with the federal government. The Government Relations Office can help to ensure you are fulfilling the legal requirements of the federal Lobbying Act.

For more information on this issue, check it out online at www.ocl-cal.gc.ca/eic/site/lobbyist-lobbyiste1.nsf/eng/home

Richard Westlund is theU of L's director of government relations and can be reached at 403-332-5251 or at richard.westlund@uleth.ca

UNews - Government Relations Office

Government anouncements set stage

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Lobbying Act must be kept in mind

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Lobbying Act Sees Significant Change

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