Webinar Wednesdays: We Need To Talk About "Lobbying"
Changes to the Lobbyists Registration Act that will affect Ontario nonprofits
On July 1, changes to the Lobbyists Registration Act (1998) take effect that Ontario nonprofits need to know about. The Ontario Government recently passed Bill 8, which changed the rules so that the threshold for nonprofits having to register as "lobbyists" was lowered from 20% of a staff person's time over a 3-month period to 50 hours of "lobbying activity" per year, organization-wide. The amendments also gave the Integrity Commissioner investigative powers and created penalties for non-compliance. Given these significant changes and new enforcement powers, many charities and nonprofits will have to review their practices and record keeping. With a threshold of 50 hours a year (less than an hour a week), many more nonprofit organizations may have to register.
You may think your organization does not engage in “lobbying” but the definition under the Act is broad. Join our free webinar if your work engages with the Ontario Government on a regular basis in any capacity - you may be affected!
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During this webinar:
Learn what is in the legislation and what it might mean for your organization
Engage in a Q & A with the Director of the Office of the Integrity Commissioner
Hear the questions of your peers
Date: Wednesday, June 29, 2016
Time: 12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m.
Cost: FREE
Presenters: Cathryn Motherwell, Director, Office of the Integrity Commissioner of Ontario, Lynn Eakin & Liz Sutherland, Policy Advisors, ONN
About the presenters
Cathryn Motherwell is Director of the Office of the Integrity Commissioner of Ontario, where she oversees the MPP Integrity, Ministers’ Staff, Lobbyist Registry and Expenses Review mandates. She joined the public service in 2009 after a career in journalism at the Globe and Mail, where she worked as a reporter and editor at Report on Business. As Deputy Editor of ROB she directed national and international business coverage, led award-winning investigative reporting teams and managed the department’s digital operations.
Liz Sutherland joined ONN in 2015 and most recently worked as Senior Policy Analyst at the Council of Ontario Universities. She has worked on policy development and advocacy for many issues facing the sector- from procurement and human resource issues, to health and social policy, to the transformation of funding models. Her nonprofit experience includes roles for organizations focused on anti-poverty, a national children’s alliance and women’s health. She has five years of government policy experience at the federal level in employment and social development, and public health. She’s an active volunteer leader and sits on the boards of Cycle Toronto and Planned Parenthood Toronto.
Lynn Eakin has been providing consulting services to the nonprofit sector since 1989. Currently Lynn, one of the founding members of ONN, is involved in better positioning the sector to address the cross-cutting policy issues it faces. She continues to engage in sector research and is involved with ONN in identifying, developing and advocating for systemic reforms to improve the ability of the sector to undertake its important work. For more on Lynn’s background, see her website: www.lynneakin.com.
