Once a month, we partner up with LobbyIQ to update our readers on recent movements in the federal lobbying landscape in Ottawa. We provide separate coverage for each channel, defined by the most relevant industries, organizations, institutions, and subject matters.

📊 Key Takeaways — Defence, 2026-03

• Overall, lobbying across this channel's industries totalled 159 meetings in March 2026, compared to a 12-month average of 114.4 (+39%). This represents a notable increase.
• The organizations with the most notable increases in lobbying this month include: Aerospace Industries Association of Canada, Irving Shipbuilding Inc., Airbus Canada Limited Partnership.
• The individual most lobbied by Defence contractors was Mélanie Joly.

📰 Real-World Implications — Defence, 2026-03

Surge in Lobbying Reflects New 'Buy Canadian' Defence Industrial Strategy

The sharp increase in lobbying activity by domestic defence and aerospace organizations aligns with the unveiling of Canada's first Defence Industrial Strategy in February 2026. This strategy emphasizes prioritizing Canadian firms for procurement—targeting 70% domestic defence contracts—and aims to grow industry revenues and exports. The lobbying spike reflects industry maneuvers to secure a share of the new contracts and influence implementation details.

📎 Carney unveils ‘Buy Canadian’ defence plan, says security can’t be a ‘hostage’ · Torys on defence: re-arming with Canada’s first Defence Industrial Strategy

Event-Driven Lobbying Fueled by Major Procurement Announcements

Lobbying volatility and record-high meetings were spurred by the government’s March 2026 announcement of more than $900 million in defence industrial capacity investments and specific contract awards, such as the $307M CMAR contract to Colt Canada. Industry stakeholders are seeking early engagement to shape the conditions and requirements for these and future procurements vital to their business.

📎 Government of Canada to announce new investments to strengthen defence industrial capacity under Canada’s Defence Industrial Strategy · Outcomes Tracker - Build Canada

Procurement Modernization Drives Shipbuilding and Aerospace Lobbying

A notable uptick in lobbying by shipbuilders and aerospace manufacturers reflects the new procurement and 'Build-Partner-Buy' framework under the Defence Industrial Strategy, which prioritizes domestic production of critical capabilities like ships and aircraft. Firms like Irving Shipbuilding and Airbus are proactively engaging to secure their roles as strategic partners in long-term government supply chains.

📎 Canada’s Defence Industrial Strategy | BLG · Torys on defence: re-arming with Canada’s first Defence Industrial Strategy

Focus Shifts to Economic Growth and Technology Partnerships

The surge in subject-matter lobbying on economic development, science, and technology reflects the Strategy’s emphasis on innovation, R&D, and Canadian industrial growth, not just military readiness. Industry groups are lobbying aggressively for funding and partnerships to upgrade technological capabilities and secure economic benefits as defence spending is positioned as a tool for national industrial transformation.

📎 Canada's Defence Industrial Strategy: Why the March 2026 Funding Push Matters · Future of defence—transforming procurement | PwC Canada

Political Engagement Peaks Amid Defence Funding Commitments

Unprecedented increases in direct lobbying of Ministers, the Prime Minister’s Office, and central agencies correspond with the government’s push to meet the NATO 2% GDP defence spending commitment by March 2026. Industries are competing for influence as funding allocations and procurement priorities are being finalized, underscoring the high economic and political stakes behind recent announcements.

📎 Department of National Defence and the Canadian Armed Forces 2026-27 Departmental Plan · Canada discreetly puts money down on 14 additional F-35s | CBC News

Section A: Lobbying Activity by Industry

This section compares, by NAICS industry, the lobbying activity in Ottawa last month to its historical average.

Overall, lobbying across this channel's industries totalled 159 meetings in March 2026, compared to a 12-month average of 114.4 (+39%). This represents a notable increase.

Foreign affairs and international assistance had no lobbying meetings this month, a stark departure from its 12-month average of 1.7.

Aerospace product and parts manufacturing experienced a significant surge in lobbying activity — 74 meetings vs. a 12-month average of 44.9 (+65%).

↳ Compared to the same month in prior years (avg 51.3), this is a notable increase (+44%).

Ship and boat building experienced a notable increase in lobbying activity — 31 meetings vs. a 12-month average of 24.5 (+27%).

Defence experienced a notable increase in lobbying activity — 54 meetings vs. a 12-month average of 43.3 (+25%).

↳ Compared to the same month in prior years (avg 25), this is a significant surge (+116%).

Section B: Lobbying by Industry for the Past Year

To contextualize, we show each industry's lobbying activity over the past 12 months. The combined view from Section A and B shows you whether recent differences are persistent trends or a break from the norm.

Top Industry Residual Trends for 2026-03

Aerospace product and parts manufacturing ended March 2026 with a residual of +24.4, well above its expected trend.

↳ Aerospace product and parts manufacturing has shown a broadly upward trend in lobbying residuals over the past year.

↳ Aerospace product and parts manufacturing displayed high volatility in its lobbying pattern, suggesting irregular or event-driven activity.

Defence ended March 2026 with a residual of +21.6, well above its expected trend.

↳ Defence has shown a broadly upward trend in lobbying residuals over the past year.

↳ Defence displayed high volatility in its lobbying pattern, suggesting irregular or event-driven activity.

↳ Ship and boat building has shown a broadly upward trend in lobbying residuals over the past year.

↳ Ship and boat building displayed high volatility in its lobbying pattern, suggesting irregular or event-driven activity.

↳ Foreign affairs and international assistance displayed high volatility in its lobbying pattern, suggesting irregular or event-driven activity.

Section C: Lobbying Activity by Organization

In this section, we see the organizations with the most unusual lobbying behavior last month, defined by either unusually high or unusually low lobbying activity.

The organizations with the most notable increases in lobbying this month include: Aerospace Industries Association of Canada, Irving Shipbuilding Inc., Airbus Canada Limited Partnership.

↳ Aerospace Industries Association of Canada: 27 meetings vs. 10.4 average (+159%).

↳ Irving Shipbuilding Inc.: 20 meetings vs. 7.2 average (+176%).

↳ Airbus Canada Limited Partnership: 15 meetings vs. 6.5 average (+131%).

Section D: Lobbying of Government Institutions in the Past Month

Every time an organization lobbies, there is a government official representing a government institution at the other side of the table. This section shows the industry-institutions pairs with the most unusual lobbying behavior last month, defined by either unusually high or unusually low lobbying activity. Below that, we show the corresponding organization-institution pairs.

Industries → Government Institutions

Organizations → Government Institutions

Notable industry → institution pairs this month:

↳ Aerospace product and parts... → House of Commons: 26 meetings (significant surge vs. avg 7.2, +259%).

↳ Defence → Innovation, Science and Eco...: 17 meetings (significant surge vs. avg 9.2, +85%).

↳ Defence → National Defence (DND): 16 meetings (significant surge vs. avg 9.2, +75%).

Notable organization → institution pairs this month:

↳ Aerospace Industries Associ... → House of Commons: 16 meetings (significant surge vs. avg 1.9, +735%).

↳ Irving Shipbuilding Inc. → Public Services and Procure...: 10 meetings (significant surge vs. avg 3, +233%).

↳ Airbus Canada Limited Partn... → National Defence (DND): 6 meetings (significant surge vs. avg 0.8, +620%).

Section E: Industry and Organization Lobbying by Subject in the Past Month

All lobbying activity is tagged with a "subject matter". This section shows the industry-subject pairs with the most unusual lobbying behavior last month, defined by either unusually high or unusually low lobbying activity, and below it the organization-subject pairs with the most unusual lobbying behavior last month.

Industries → Subjects

Organizations → Subjects

Notable industry → subject pairs this month:

↳ Aerospace product and parts... → Defence: 68 meetings (significant surge vs. avg 33.5, +103%).

↳ Aerospace product and parts... → Government Procurement: 58 meetings (significant surge vs. avg 27.3, +112%).

↳ Defence → Government Procurement: 50 meetings (notable increase vs. avg 40, +25%).

Notable organization → subject pairs this month:

↳ Aerospace Industries Associ... → Transportation: 27 meetings (significant surge vs. avg 9.1, +197%).

↳ Aerospace Industries Associ... → Economic Development: 27 meetings (significant surge vs. avg 9.3, +189%).

↳ Aerospace Industries Associ... → Science and Technology: 27 meetings (significant surge vs. avg 8.2, +227%).

Section F: Last Month's Most Lobbied Politicians and Civil Servants

This section presents a list of the politicians and civil servants who took the most meetings with key industry players last month.

Most Lobbied Individuals by Sector

Most Lobbied Individuals by Organization

The individual most lobbied by Defence contractors was Mélanie Joly.