Prohibition on lobbying for lobbyists convicted of an offence

A person found guilty of an offence under the Lobbying Act may be prohibited by the Commissioner of Lobbying from engaging in registrable lobbying activities (e.g. communicating and arranging meetings with federal public office holders) for a period of up to two years.

This authority is granted under section 14.01 of the Lobbying Act.

Prohibitions applied by the Commissioner

Bruce Carson

Prohibition period: 2019-08-15 to 2020-08-14
Duration: 1 year

In 2016, Bruce Carson was convicted for having carried out lobbying activities as a consultant lobbyist and as an in-house lobbyist while subject to the five-year prohibition on lobbying as a former designated public office holder.

The Ontario Court of Justice fined Mr. Carson a total of $50,000 on three convictions under the Lobbying Act. Those convictions and the sentences imposed were upheld on appeal.

The prosecutions followed a referral to the RCMP by the Commissioner of Lobbying in July 2012.

Hervé Pouts

Prohibition period: 2018-06-21 to 2018-08-20
Duration: 2 months

In late 2016, Hervé Pouts pleaded guilty for having failed to register four undertakings as a consultant lobbyist.

Having pled guilty, Mr. Pouts was fined a total of $9,000 by the Quebec Court in early 2017.

These convictions were the result of a March 2013 referral to the RCMP by the Commissioner of Lobbying.

James Carroll

Prohibition period: 2017-07-26 to 2018-04-25
Duration: 9 months

In April 2016, the Ontario Court of Justice convicted James Carroll for having failed to register his undertaking on behalf of La Vie Executive Health Centre and imposed a fine of $20,000.

Mr. Carrol appealed this decision, which was dismissed by the Ontario Superior Court of Justice in April 2017.

These convictions were the result of a November 2013 referral to the RCMP by the Commissioner of Lobbying.

Andrew Skaling

Prohibition period: 2013-09-16 to 2014-01-16
Duration: 4 months

In July 2013, Andrew Skaling plead guilty for having failed to register an undertaking to perform lobbying activities as a consultant on behalf of the Canadian Network of Respiratory Care (CNRC), a non-profit organization.

Mr. Skaling was sentenced by the Ontario Superior Court of Justice to a fine of $7,500.

These convictions were the result of a May 2012 referral to the RCMP by the Commissioner of Lobbying.