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.

Channel overview: This newsletter aggregates lobbying activity across all NAICS industries that map to the Social Issues umbrella.

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 354 meetings in February 2026, compared to a 12-month average of 213.3 (+66%). This represents a significant surge.

Labour organizations experienced a notable increase in lobbying activity — 105 meetings vs. a 12-month average of 75.5 (+39%).

Charitable organizations experienced a significant surge in lobbying activity — 163 meetings vs. a 12-month average of 72.3 (+125%).

Human rights organizations experienced a significant surge in lobbying activity — 26 meetings vs. a 12-month average of 14.2 (+84%).

↳ Compared to the same month in prior years (avg 18.3), this is a notable increase (+42%).

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 2026-02

Charitable organizations ended February 2026 with a residual of +47.5, well above its expected trend.

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

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

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

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

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

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

↳ Human rights organizations has shown a broadly upward trend in lobbying residuals over the past year.

↳ Human rights organizations 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: Canadian Union of Public Employees, Islamic Relief Canada, Oxfam Canada.

↳ Canadian Union of Public Employees: 38 meetings vs. 3.8 average (+913%).

↳ Islamic Relief Canada: 26 meetings vs. 6.7 average (+290%).

↳ Oxfam Canada: 24 meetings vs. 6.2 average (+289%).

The organizations with the most notable decreases include: Canadian Labour Congress.

↳ Canadian Labour Congress: 2 meetings vs. 16.9 average (-88%).

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:

↳ Labour organizations → House of Commons: 66 meetings (significant surge vs. avg 39.9, +65%).

↳ Charitable organizations → House of Commons: 64 meetings (significant surge vs. avg 27.8, +130%).

↳ Charitable organizations → Global Affairs Canada (GAC): 29 meetings (significant surge vs. avg 14.7, +98%).

Notable organization → institution pairs this month:

↳ Canadian Union of Public Em... → House of Commons: 30 meetings (significant surge vs. avg 2.8, +991%).

↳ Unifor → House of Commons: 18 meetings (significant surge vs. avg 3, +500%).

↳ Islamic Relief Canada → House of Commons: 17 meetings (significant surge vs. avg 3.3, +410%).

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:

↳ Charitable organizations → International Development: 105 meetings (significant surge vs. avg 37.8, +178%).

↳ Dairy cattle and milk produ... → Consumer Issues: 74 meetings (significant surge vs. avg 8.2, +806%).

↳ Labour organizations → Budget: 61 meetings (significant surge vs. avg 22.7, +169%).

Notable organization → subject pairs this month:

↳ BC Dairy Association → Consumer Issues: 48 meetings (significant surge vs. avg 5.4, +786%).

↳ Canadian Union of Public Em... → Budget: 38 meetings (significant surge vs. avg 3.2, +1100%).

↳ Canadian Union of Public Em... → Economic Development: 38 meetings (significant surge vs. avg 3.4, +1012%).

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 most lobbied individual (by sector) was Charitable organizations → Elizabeth May (House of Commons) with 6 meetings this month (12-month avg: 0.7).

↳ Charitable organizations → Salma Zahid (House of Commons): significant surge — 6 meetings vs. avg 1.2 (+380%).

↳ Charitable organizations → Karina Gould (House of Commons): significant surge — 5 meetings vs. avg 1.2 (+300%).

The most lobbied individual (by organization) was The Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs → Hanife Moosimfar (Justice Canada (JC)) with 4 meetings this month (12-month avg: 0.3).

↳ Right To Play → Anik Labelle (Global Affairs Canada (GAC)): significant surge — 3 meetings vs. avg 0.2 (+1100%).

↳ Canadian Union of Public Employees → Zoe Royer (House of Commons): significant surge — 3 meetings vs. avg 0.2 (+1100%).