The Chronicle Herald quotes Shepherd, in an email to registered lobbyists, as suggesting that
"Working on a political campaign to support the election of a public office holder is, in my opinion, advancing the private interest of that public office holder," she wrote. "A real or apparent conflict of interest can be created when a lobbyist engages in political activities that advance the private interest of a public office holder, while at the same time, or subsequently, seeking to lobby that public office holder."
It seems that the same, if not more, problems are likely present when 'deregistered' lobbyists (particularly those who just don't happen to be lobbying at the moment) participate in political campaigns. It should also be noted that all kinds of people who engage in lobbying activities that don't require reporting could also be participating in various political campaigns - there just isn't a good way of knowing.
That a situation could be created where an MP/Minister/Prime Minister feels that they owe their position to the campaign efforts of a particular lobbyist is scary and seems to completely undermine any attempt that has thus far been implemented to regulate lobbying. This loophole seems to provide a way for 'deregistered' lobbyists to have more access to political actors than they would be able to have if they were registered and thus provides a potential incentive to 'deregister' as a way of gaining more access to politicians.
So not only does this practice provide us with more evidence that the effectiveness of the lobbying regime likely quite limited, it also demonstrates that a number of individuals have figured out ways to get close to politicians that aren't obviously in contravention of the lobbying rules.
I guess we can now wait and see whether or not this becomes a big story or if it just blows over. Given the recent Bruce Carson pseudo-lobbying thing it wouldn't surprise me if this got at least a little traction.
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