Government Relations Institute of Canada - a national, not-for-profit association representing government relations and advocacy professionals in Canada.
📢LIVE FROM OUR AMM !
GRIC President @HunterDoubt welcomed members today where our dedicated committee chairs shared key updates on 2025/2026 achievements and outlined exciting priorities for the year ahead 📊🚀.
Special thanks to the @aemadvisor for sponsoring our lunch!
We were also grateful to welcome Nancy Bélanger, Commissioner of Lobbying, for a fireside chat where we discussed recent interpretation bulletins and the current review of the Lobbying Act 🗞️🔍.
We’re also thrilled to welcome five new and returning directors to our Board 🙌
Muhammad Ali
Jean-Simon Schoenholz
Samuel Soucy
Shae McGlynn
Kinga Loewen
The following Directors continuing with their respective terms will join them:
Elaine Larsen Wells, Global Public Affairs @ELW_tweet
Alicia Adams, Earnscliffe Strategies
Robin Guy, Crestview Strategy
Lauren Kennedy, Chicken Farmers of Canada
Madi Murariu, PSP Investments
Sheamus Murphy, Counsel Public Affairs @sheamusmurphy
Virginia Clarke, BMO Financial Group
Kyle Larkin, Canadian Meat Council @KylePLarkin
Adriana Vega, Fintechs Canada
Emily Holtby, AIA Canada @EmilyHoltby
Enormous thanks to our incredible outgoing board members for their outstanding contributions, Hunter Doubt, Lucas Veiga, Brooklyn Mattinson and Hardave Birk 👏🏻
Here’s to another year of progress, collaboration, and meaningful impact! 💼🌟
🚨 REMINDER: Our Annual Meeting of Members (AMM) is TOMORROW (Wednesday, May 27, 2026)
Lunch begins at 12:00 pm and the AMM begins at 1:00 pm at the National Arts Centre, Rossy Pavilion
All the meeting documents are now posted on the members' section of GRIC's website.
Agenda
11:45 AM -12:00 PM: Registration
12:00 – 1:00 PM: Lunch
1:00pm- 2:30 PM: Annual Meeting of Members
2:45pm-3:30pm: Fireside chat with the Commissioner of Lobbying of Canada
We look forward to welcoming you to GRIC's 2026 AMM!
If you have any questions or are no longer able to attend the lunch and/or the AMM, please contact us at [email protected].
📰📢 Check out #GRIC President @HunterDoubt in today's The Hill Times discussing the ongoing Lobbying Act review and the Commissioner's recommendations related to a registration-by-default and more stringent reporting requirements.
Doubt told The Hill Times that his concern is that registration by default would “flood the system with unnecessary registrations. Specifically, it would impact mostly small business—small nonprofits, small charities.”
“I think there’s been a lot of talk about how this would just simplify things. We actually think it would do the opposite, whereby many of these small business owners [or] small charities … who don’t consider themselves lobbyists but want to speak to their local member of parliament for a particular issue, are not even going to know that they are now a lobbyist.”
More here ➡️ https://t.co/jtVoYmjLHf
🚨REMINDER🚨: Voting for the election of #GRIC board directors is available in advance, online-only, and will close on Thursday, May 21 at 10am ET.
Voting details are in your inbox!
Results of the election will be announced at the in-person AMM.
Details below ⬇️⬇️⬇️
📢 IMPORTANT announcement for #GRIC members!
Voting is now OPEN for Board Director roles. 🗳️
The election of directors will take place exclusively in advance through the online voting platform, Simply Voting, or by proxy.
📅 Voting opens: May 13 at 10:00 AM EDT
📅 Voting closes: Thursday, May 21 at 10:00 AM EDT
Please check your email for:
✅ Your voting link
✅ Unique login credentials
Election results will be announced at the in-person Annual Meeting of Members (AMM):
📍 National Arts Centre – Rossy Pavilion, Ottawa
📅 Wednesday, May 27, 2026
🥗 Lunch served: 12:00 PM EDT
🕐 AMM begins: 1:00 PM EDT followed by a fireside chat with Commissioner of Lobbying, Nancy Bélanger.
Registration for the AMM is now open! Attendance is free, but advance registration is required.
🔗 Register here: https://t.co/NRELVnfrJA
📢 IMPORTANT announcement for #GRIC members!
Voting is now OPEN for Board Director roles. 🗳️
The election of directors will take place exclusively in advance through the online voting platform, Simply Voting, or by proxy.
📅 Voting opens: May 13 at 10:00 AM EDT
📅 Voting closes: Thursday, May 21 at 10:00 AM EDT
Please check your email for:
✅ Your voting link
✅ Unique login credentials
Election results will be announced at the in-person Annual Meeting of Members (AMM):
📍 National Arts Centre – Rossy Pavilion, Ottawa
📅 Wednesday, May 27, 2026
🥗 Lunch served: 12:00 PM EDT
🕐 AMM begins: 1:00 PM EDT followed by a fireside chat with Commissioner of Lobbying, Nancy Bélanger.
Registration for the AMM is now open! Attendance is free, but advance registration is required.
🔗 Register here: https://t.co/NRELVnfrJA
A huge thank you to #GRIC members who joined us for an incredible evening of networking, reconnecting, and basketball at the Ottawa BlackJacks home opener last night! 🏀🎉
From great conversations to game-day excitement in “The Guard,” it was fantastic to see so many #GRIC friends and colleagues come together for a fun night out. 🫸🏀🫷
Looking forward to seeing everyone at our AMM on May 27 at the National Arts Centre
📣 Calling all GRIC members!
Our Annual Meeting of Members (AMM) will take place on 📅 Wednesday, May 27, 2026, at the 🎭 National Arts Centre | Centre national des Arts in Ottawa.
This year’s in-person gathering will include:
✅ Lunch and networking
✅ GRIC Annual Meeting of Members
✅ A special fireside chat with the federal Commissioner of Lobbying
🗳️ Important reminder: Voting for the election of Directors will take place in advance only via electronic voting or proxy, beginning May 13, 2026.
📌 Key details:
🕚 Registration: 11:45 AM
🥗 Lunch: 12:00 PM – 1:00 PM
🏛️ AMM: 1:00 PM – 2:30 PM
🎤 Fireside Chat: 2:45 PM – 3:30 PM
There is no cost to attend, but registration is required. Check your email for more!
👉🏼 https://t.co/NRELVnfrJA
As members of GRIC, your participation is both valuable and important, and we hope to see you there!
📢❗🚨HOT OFF THE PRESS📢❗🚨
@xavtrud will perform at halftime during the game on May 12.
Still time to snag your member-exclusive tickets in 'The Guard'.
More here: https://t.co/fV1zyixS74
Join your #GRIC friends and colleagues for a night of networking and basketball at the Ottawa BlackJacks home opener!
🫸🏀🫷
Member-exclusive tickets in 'The Guard'.
Perfect for mingling, great views, and game-day energy.
Get your tickets here: https://t.co/CN6Q6Vcr9H
Check out these new jobs below! 💼
https://t.co/3T2r29hLGI
@ONCraftWineries is looking for its next President
@CanCattle is looking for a GR Manager
Did you know that one of the perks of being a #GRIC member is FREE job postings on our job board?
Not a member yet? You can still post — pricing available by emailing
[email protected]
#publicaffairs #governmentrelations #cdnjobs
This is a great opportunity to bring your team, your mentees, and fellow #GRIC colleagues together for an evening of 🏀 and networking.
Tickets are still available here: https://t.co/CtYw2BmPyd
Check out #GRIC President @HunterDoubt in today's @TheHillTimes discussing ETHI's review of the Lobbying Act. ⬇️⬇️⬇️
'GRIC members favour the reporting requirement about oral and arranged communications initiated by the lobbyist to stay as is.'
"We believe that public office holders should have the authority to decide who they choose to meet with. Eliminating that ‘arranged in advance’ piece would result in them being potentially held accountable for discussions that they did not consent to,”
Doubt said sometimes members of government desire to reach out to stakeholders to hear their “strategic considerations.” “If the lobbyist isn’t setting that up themselves and the government’s asking for that advice, I think it makes sense that that does not need to be [reported,]” said Doubt.
“With that said, it’s important to note that, should any of those conversations turn into financial conversations, in terms of the government compensating that stakeholder with a grant or public financing, that does need to be reported, and that’s in the act right now.”
More here: https://t.co/YZ2a61obre
Join your #GRIC friends and colleagues for a night of networking and basketball at the Ottawa BlackJacks home opener!
🫸🏀🫷
Member-exclusive tickets in 'The Guard'.
Perfect for mingling, great views, and game-day energy.
Get your tickets here: https://t.co/CN6Q6Vcr9H
Join your #GRIC friends and colleagues for a night of networking and basketball at the Ottawa BlackJacks home opener!
🫸🏀🫷
Member-exclusive tickets in 'The Guard'.
Perfect for mingling, great views, and game-day energy.
Get your tickets here: https://t.co/CN6Q6Vcr9H
LIVE from Constitution Square this morning, #GRIC welcomed three powerhouse lobbyists to discuss three different perspectives on achieving success in the advocacy ecosystem.
Thank you to GRIC board member Adriana Vega for moderating this engaging session with @jo_dobson@KatlynHarrison and @NickSchiavo_
Our next event is already in your inbox! More to come. and to our members for joining us.