2010-2013 Strategic Plan
The need for transparency in lobbying to ensure greater confidence in our institutions
ISSUE 1: SUPPORT FOR AND COMPLIANCE WITH THE LOBBYING TRANSPARENCY AND ETHICS ACT
Orientation 1
Get all the players to incorporate the concern for transparency and ethics into their influential communications
The first task of the Québec Lobbyists Commissioner was to deepen the knowledge of what lobbying is about and inform all the people and organizations concerned about the Act and the Code of Conduct for Lobbyists. The strategic plan for the next few years focuses on ways to encourage all players to promote support for and compliance with the Act and the Code. These are turning out to be the real issues. The plan is aimed at making transparency and ethics a major concern in terms of accountability in the application of the rules. This means raising the awareness of everyone who deals in influential communications. The primary targets are public officials – who make the decisions – and lobbyists, the only ones who have legal obligations. Institutions and public organizations have to be persuaded to develop greater sensitivity to the lobbying phenomenon and make sure it is carried out properly. It is also essential to arouse public interest, so that people will have more confidence in their institutions and the leaders who run them.
Orientation 2
Maximize supervision and control of lobbying activities
The Act covers all parliamentary, government and municipal institutions – representing more than 300 government departments, agencies and corporations – and all municipal institutions, including the 1,127 municipalities. The Act also covers a wide range of decisions in the political and administrative fields. In view of the resources available, we need to strike a fair balance between the investigative efforts required to enforce the Act and the Code and the outcomes sought. Supervision and control of lobbying will be maximized by increased risk management and systematic enforcement. While the initial application of the new Act required the people and organizations to be aware and informed, if the Act’s objectives are to be fully met it is now necessary to give lobbyists better tools for their own self-assessment and to take firmer action against people who do not comply with the Act and the Code.
Orientation 3
Contribute to better understanding of the rules and their evolution
The activities to make the Act and the Code understood have produced results since 2002. Over 115,000 people (players in influential communications, partners or citizens) have been reached through awareness or public relations activities via the website, the Infolettre Newsletter or the 138,500 information documents we have distributed. We are starting to see signs of the culture change induced by the new lobbying rules. The number of registrations in the Registry of Lobbyists is growing constantly, and an ever increasing number of players are calling the Québec Lobbyists Commissioner for advice. The purpose of the new strategic plan is to accentuate understanding of the lobbying rules and develop them further so that transparency and sound practices in influential communications are followed every day, before public decision-making processes are involved. Amendments will be needed to the Act to improve enforcement, and the Québec Lobbyists Commissioner intends to play a leading role in drafting them.
ISSUE 2: COMMUNICATIONS ANDCOOPERATION
Orientation 4
Enhance the staff’s commitment, quality and know-how
The Québec Lobbyists Commissioner knows that his overall performance depends greatly on the quality and motivation of his personnel. Therefore, priority will be given to professional development and expertise enhancement for the staff. The Québec Lobbyists Commissioner is constantly seeking greater consistency between what his organization says and what it does. To accomplish this, he will intensify internal communications and cooperation. The staff turnover rate is comparable to that of other organizations. To enhance commitment and greater motivation, the Québec Lobbyists Commissioner intends to maintain and develop a stimulating work environment by focusing on knowledge transfer and the versatility of his personnel. In addition, the Québec Lobbyists Commissioner intends to review his operating and management processes with a view to streamlining the way things are done.
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2010-2013 Strategic Plan 
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