MLAs most- targeted by lobbyists

In a phone interview, Coleman said he was a bit surprised his name was listed so often, but noted his ministry deals with many big resource companies.

“It’s a busy portfolio,” he said. “There are a lot of government relations people specifically in the oil and gas sector. And I’d imagine they’d all be registered.”

And as minister responsible for liquor and gambling, Coleman has had many meetings with people in those industries, too.

“There are people in the restaurant industry, the pub business, the people who are suppliers,” he said. “You hear from them all.”

Coleman said he probably meets with a lobbyist at least once a week but probably not every day. He also noted that as lobbyists list who they intend to lobby, rather than who they have lobbied, that could inflate his numbers.

“I know there have been people who registered as lobbyists who never had meetings with me but still listed my name as someone they want to talk to,” he said.

One thing Coleman said didn’t surprise him is that his name is listed more often in the registry than the premier’s. Getting a meeting with Clark is a lot tougher than getting a meeting with him or another minister, said Coleman, and lobbyists know that.

“The premier does a lot more protocol- type meetings: ambassadors, consul- generals, international trade stuff,” he said. “And the premier is really quite busy with cabinet preparations and those sort of things.”

Bell, who isn’t running again in the May election, said he wasn’t surprised his name is listed so often by lobbyists as a target. He said his ministry touches on issues of concern to many companies and associations.

“There are days where literally I would have a dozen or more meetings,” he said. “[ And] I think that almost any meeting that a cabinet minister does ... the people are there to — by definition — lobby you. They are there to express their opinions and what they believe makes sense from their organization’s perspective.”

Bell said he has always prided himself on being available to anyone who wants to meet with him and he tries to hear from a wide range of views.

“That is our job as politicians: to listen to people. And understand what their issues are,” he said.

De Jong could not be reached for comment.