Welcome to lobbychampion.com, the weblog of Trompeter Communications – a new business concept in support of  anyone wanting to lobby and a new attitude toward lobbying.  For fresh blogs, please click the News & Posts Tab above.

As the name suggests, Trompeter Communications champions the profession alternately known as government relations, advocacy, public affairs, & lobbying – as a noble one.

It’s true, lobbying has something of a nasty reputation, unfortunately not always undeserved.  Fortunately, here in Canada lobbyists are not vilified as they are in the U.S. and it is our hope that it will never come to that here or anywhere else in the world. On the contrary, with this blog I hope to show the positive side of lobbying, at times reporting on the lobbyist as peace-maker, trouble-shooter,  social advocate, innovator, and even hero.  At the very least,  I wish to present the truth about the hard working women and men who put long thoughtful hours analyzing problems, strategizing solutions, and crafting clear and persuasive documents in support of a given line of argument. Lobbying is s lot more than a twenty minute meeting with a government decision-maker, and its future certainly is not bribery or influence peddling.

In my time working in government relations I witnessed many noble successes that were attained for Associations whose voices would have otherwise gone unheard, for hospitals that might have closed and for many other causes whose successes benefit the taxpaying public.  For these reasons,  in my professional life and in my writing I wish to breathe new life into this fascinating field and champion transparent lobbying as a dignified right and democratic freedom.

I believe that within a democracy, the practice of government relations is for the most part an honourable activity that creates communication where before there was silence, and breakthrough where before there was impasse.  It is a right and a freedom to be cherished and brought to its full potential, its practitioners to high standards of professional and ethical conduct and ultimately, recognition.

As Founder of  Trompeter Consulting, I am dedicated to  a) increasing the success, peace of mind & work capacity of those engaged in government relations, b) helping those firms, organisations & individuals lobby with clarity & integrity  c) changing the largely unjustified perception in the mind of the public that lobbying is an unethical undertaking d) working to advance the exciting and novel possibilities within this profession to help make the world a better place.

I hope you will engage with me in conversation as we discuss news and issues surrounding current events and the exciting future of public advocacy in Canada and around the world.

The Government of Canada itself honours this undertaking and instructs the Office of  the Commissioner of Lobbying to guide itself according to the following principles stated in the preamble to the Lobbying Act:

• Free and open access to government is an important matter of public interest.
• Lobbying public office holders is a legitimate activity.
• It is desirable that public office holders and the general public be able to know who is engaged in lobbying activities.
• The system for the registration of paid lobbyists should not impede free and open access to government.