Mr. Speaker, I have a return to the written question asked by Mr. O'Reilly on June 2, 2017, regarding the consultancy contract with Earnscliffe Strategy Group.
Earnscliffe Strategy Group (Earnscliffe) was contracted by Executive and Indigenous Affairs to provide as and when requested:
Intelligence on government policy and legislative agendas at the international, national, provincial, and municipal level;
Ongoing monitoring of key developments on files of interest to clients;
Design of core narratives for the purpose of building or reinforcing clients' public branding;
Developing of unique communications programs to build awareness and exposure of clients and their interests;
Development of key messages for meetings, interviews, and editorial board meetings;
Facilitation of media opportunities, promotional initiatives, and awareness-building events to promote clients, their brands, and interests;
Identification of the appropriate decision-makers/contacts in the Prime Ministers' Office and in key Ministers' offices and departments of government, as well as intelligence on their priorities and views;
Design of core narratives for client issues that navigate political, bureaucratic and private-sector dynamics;
Identification of alignment opportunities between clients' objectives and federal government priorities, initiatives and the legislative process;
Insights into Cabinet, Caucus and Standing Committee processes and reviews and their roles in effective political, policy and regulatory strategies;
Road mapping stakeholders and engagement plans to help clients approach government at all levels; and
Development of government and parliamentary submissions.
Mr. Speaker, you will note from the list above that Earnscliffe was not hired to plan and coordinate GNWT trips to Ottawa.
Mr. O'Reilly asked me if any of the seven Cabinet Ministers and 15 staff members participating in the trip to Ottawa meet with any representative of Earnscliffe during the November 2016 trip to Ottawa, and I can advise the House that representatives of Earnscliffe met with Ministers to provide a briefing on federal legislative and policy priorities. Ministers also participated in group and individual media training provided by Earnscliffe during the November 2016 trip to Ottawa.
In response to the Member's question about why the Earnscliffe Strategy Group invoiced the GNWT for a total of $30,450 for October, November, and December 2016, I can confirm that Earnscliffe, as is common for contracts of this nature, Earnscliffe bills on the basis of a monthly retainer covering the range of services listed above.
The Member from Frame Lake also noted that the Federal Lobbyist Registry describing the activity of Earnscliffe on behalf of the GNWT says Earnscliffe, arranges meetings with the federal representatives and asked why the GNWT did not take advantage of those services while in Ottawa. Mr. Speaker, Earnscliffe's registration pre-dates this government and was done in case there was a need for them to undertake activities on behalf of the GNWT that would have to be reported on the Lobbyist Registry. Three communications on the GNWT's behalf were reported on the Registry in January and February 2015. No lobbying has been undertaken by Earnscliffe during this 18th Legislative Assembly. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
