«« older | newer »»

author photo

August 13, 2009

Shaunna Mireau

Lobbyist Registration Searchability

I like to look for patterns. Not for handicrafts like one of my knitting pals, but rather patterns in data.

I recently had the ~opportunity~ to look for patterns in lobbyist registrations. Unfortunately for me, there are almost as many registries as jurisdictions. The Office of the Commissioner of Lobbying of Canada is the federal government registry. It has an excellent database with great search functionality and many options for accessing this information:

* Recent Registrations
* Search the Registry of Lobbyists
* Search Monthly Communications Reports
* Statistical Reports
* Multimedia Tutorials
* Login
* Guides to registration
* Tips About the Registration System
* Frequently Asked Questions

I particularly liked that one of the options was a free text search within a registration record.

Then there is the rest of the country. While the feds provide a great link list, few of the other registry sites live up to expectations. Disappointment ranges from Alberta's "A searchable registry system is under development." message to BC's lack of anything except contacted names, hard to navigate lists. Nova Scotia only allows searches by lobbyists name, employer name, and client name. There is a search all for the Nova Scotia registry, but putting in the same term for all and for client name produces different results: 0 hits for all, and 2 hits for a client name. Newfoundland's registry dies after one search, though you can pull up a list of all 108 registered lobbyists.

Ontario's registry search is good and allows keyword searching, but their database is a little odd. If someone is lobbying for an association (not a business, not a society), the registration search result just shows blanks. The City of Toronto lobbyists registry has a non-functioning keyword search and the search results are only 10 to a page with very limited data. Quebec's registry is only in French, which is fine, however, the search results are split between consultant lobbyists and lobbyists who are affiliated directly with an organization.

The one major complaint I have is that data input is not consistent. If there is a drop down list for the entity being targeted by lobbyists, the data reveals inconsistent ministry names and the list is not always alphabetically displayed. It is really hard to find patterns from inconsistent data.

Director of Knowledge Management and Libraries at Field Law. I am excited by the daily challenges of managing the firm libraries, legal research and mentoring students, coordinating knowledge management projects, and close collaboration with the firm's technology team and practice groups. Thanks for reading slaw.ca
[click on the author's name for more information]

Respond: make a comment

Share: Email | Save as PDF | Print | Bookmark & Share | Clip to Evernote | Reader later on Instapaper

More: in Legal Information or Technology | from

up

Comments are closed.

SlawTips      

SlawTips Top 10 Financial Errors: #9 Avoid Having a Written Office-Sharing or Partnership Agreement
Thursday, February 9

Max Amsterdam once said: “Business is the art of extracting money from another man’s pocket without resorting to violence.” The purpose of having a written agreement between all … »»

Practice

SlawTips Open Access Journals
Wednesday, February 8

There is good leagal content that doesn’t necessarily come in the neat packages that we usually look in.  Though our commercial legal database subscriptions have linked, vetted, edited, and easily. […] »»

Research

SlawTips Use join.me to Get on the Same Page Across the Web
Wednesday, February 8

When you need to collaborate on a document displayed on your screen, it’s great to have a colleague from down the hall come into your office and look over your … »»

Technology

noted on Slaw    

MLB Selected Case Summaries    

These summaries of selected recent cases are provided each week to Slaw by Maritime Law Book.
More information.
  • McGowan v. Bank of Nova Scotia 2011 PECA 20

    Banks and Banking - Liability of banks to third parties - Negligence - General

    The plaintiffs were the former shareholders of a company that failed. They sued the defendant bank alleging that it breached its contract with the company and the plaintiffs and breached a duty ...

  • Jones v. Tsige 2012 ONCA 32

    Actions - Cause of action - General principles - New or extended cause of action - Opening of floodgates

    The plaintiff and defendant worked at different branches of the same bank. The defendant’s common-law husband was the plaintiff’s ex-husband. Over a four year period, the defendant ...

  • Canadian Society of Immigration Consultants v. Canada (Minister of Citizenship and Immigration) 2011 FC 1435

    Aliens - Definitions and general principles - Immigration consultants

    The Canadian Society of Immigration Consultants (CSIC) had been designated as the sole regulatory body of immigration consultants in Canada from 2004 until June 2011. On June 30, 2011, Bill C-35 came into force, which significantly amended ...

  • R. v. Benson (A.J.) 2012 SKCA 4

    Criminal Law - Sexual offences, public morals and disorderly conduct - Public morals - Obscenity - Possession of child pornography

    The accused was convicted of making child pornography available and two counts of possession of child pornography (see [2010] Sask.R. Uned. 197). Subsequently, he was sentenced ...

  • R. v. Rowe (J.) 2011 ONCA 753

    Criminal Law - Procedure - Charge or directions - Jury or judge alone - Directions regarding pleas or evidence of witnesses, co-accused and accomplices

    Rowe was convicted by a jury of five offences. He appealed.

    The Ontario Court of Appeal allowed ...

  • R. v. Parker (T.) 2011 ONCA 819

    Narcotic Control - Offences - Possession - General

    The accused wished to access marijuana for medicinal purposes but did not have an authorization to possess marijuana issued under the Marihuana Medical Access Regulations. He was notified that a package of marihuana addressed to him had been ...

  • R. v. McCrady (R.C.) 2011 ONCA 820

    Narcotic Control - General - Legislation - Exemptions - Medicinal marijuana

    McCrady, who had an application pending under the Marihuana Medical Access Regulations (MMAR) to possess and grow marijuana, was convicted of possession of marijuana (Controlled Drugs and Substances Act (CDSA), s. 4(1)). Hearn pleaded guilty ...

  • R. v. Maloney (S.W.) 2011 ONCA 821

    Criminal Law - Sentence - Trafficking in hashish or marijuana (incl. possession for purposes of trafficking)

    The accused pleaded guilty to one count of possession of marijuana for the purpose of trafficking. He was sentenced to 30 days’ imprisonment to be served intermittently and 11 months’ ...

  • Catalyst Paper Corp. v. North Cowichan (District) 2012 SCC 2

    Municipal Law - Powers of municipalities - Particular powers - Imposition and collection of taxes or fees 

    Catalyst Paper Corp. operated a paper mill in the District of North Cowichan. Catalyst objected to the tax rate that it paid compared to residential ratepayers. In 2009, the ...

law foundation icon

The re-development
of Slaw is assisted by
a grant from the
Law Foundation of Ontario

TalkLaw/ParLoi    

This is a listing of a few upcoming events in Canada of interest to lawyers, law students, legal librarians, and others involved in the practice of law.

Clicking on any event in the list below will give you access to more information and to links allowing you to see the full entry and to add the event to your own calendar.

Click this link for a fuller version of the TalkLaw/ParLoi calendar of events and for instructions as to how to add events and calendars to your own calendar.

Switch to our mobile site