We just got the last of the federal lobby registry reports for 2023, and one thing is clear: Big Oil had an astounding presence on Parliament Hill throughout all of last year.
Our Lobby Bot recorded 98 meetings in November and 58 meetings in December between the federal government and fossil fuel lobbyists. That brings our total up to at least 1,173 meetings in 2023. That means Big Oil lobbied 4.5 times per working day last year.
This year we’ll be analyzing all of the 2023 data to provide even more information on the state of Big Oil’s lobbying in Canada. We’re working on a report that will shed light on the top lobbyists and the ministries and MPs targeted throughout the year. Keep an eye out for our full report coming this spring!
TAKE ACTION TO STOP BIG OIL FROM POLLUTING OUR CLIMATE
When Big Oil lobbies, it’s important to remember that these are for-profit companies whose core interest is extracting, producing and selling fossil fuels to make lots of money for their shareholders. Oil, coal, and gas emissions are causing the climate crisis, and yet these companies’ entire business model is to continue to grow fossil fuel production. Despite greenwashed claims that oil and gas companies have changed their climate-denying ways and want to work toward climate solutions, the bottom line is that their bottom line thrives when we fail to take climate action seriously.
So without further ado, here are the companies who have lobbied the most in the final months of 2023.
WHO LOBBIED THE MOST
The companies or industry associations that held the most lobbying meetings with the federal government in
November 2023:
- Canadian Gas Association, with 15 meetings
- Suncor, with 13 meetings
- Pembina Pipeline Company, with 10 meetings
And in December 2023:
- Pembina Pipeline Company, with 11 meetings
- FortisBC, with 8 meetings
- Pathways Alliance, with 7 meetings
WHICH MINISTRIES WERE LOBBIED THE MOST?
The federal bodies that had the most meetings with oil & gas companies and associations were the following Ministries:
November
- Natural Resources Canada, took 19 meetings
- Environment and Climate Change Canada, took 18 meetings
- Transport Canada, took 11 meetings
December
- Natural Resources Canada, took 11 meetings
- Privy Council Office, took 10 meetings
- Environment and Climate Change Canada, took 9 meetings
WHICH MINISTER WAS LOBBIED THE MOST?
These federal ministers accepted the most meetings with oil & gas companies and associations:
November
- Randy Boissonnault, Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Official Languages, had two meetings with fossil fuel lobbyists; one meeting with the Pathways Alliance and one meeting with Cenovus.
December
- It was a three-way tie between: Seamus O’Regan, Minister of Labour; Stephen Guilbeault, Minister of Environment and Climate Change Canada; and Jonathan Wilkinson; Minister of Natural Resources, who each took one meeting with oil and gas lobbyists.
Looking for more information about how we track the fossil fuel industry lobbying the federal government? Visit this page.
