MLA Donald Arseneault rejects 'lobbyist' term for new Ottawa job

A New Brunswick MLA who landed a spot as a "government relations manager" with a union organization in Ottawa isn't calling himself a lobbyist per se.

But in his new role with Canada's Building Trades Unions, Donald Arseneault suggested Friday, he can help lobbyists be more effective in their job.

"Everybody seems to be putting those words out there, such as lobbyist, which is not the case,"​ the Campbellton-Dalhousie MLA and former cabinet minister said of his job with the national umbrella group for more than 500,000 construction workers.

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A lobbyist is paid to talk to politicians and officials and to try to influence government decisions and the positions of legislators on behalf of a particular interest. In Canada, lobbyists have to be registered.

Arseneault said a government relations manager has many responsibilities.

"Government relations is so much more than only lobbying," he told Information Morning Fredericton.

There are already two people in the national trades organization who are registered as lobbyists, he said.

Arseneault said he started looking for opportunities with various groups in Ottawa once he was removed from cabinet at the beginning of September.

New role sees approval

He said New Brunswick Integrity Commissioner Alexandre Deschênes approved the new job, as long as he doesn't do any lobbying in the province.

Arseneault approached Deschênes before accepting his new position.

"He was very clear to me that things that I can do and cannot do and lobbying was not one of them," said Arseneault.

I'm not going to ruin my reputation by doing something I'm not supposed to be doing.- Donald Arseneault

Arseneault was first elected in 2003. He was a minister in the Liberal governments of Shawn Graham and Brian Gallant.

Last month, Arseneault was shuffled out of cabinet, decided not to run in the 2018 election and accepted the Ottawa job.

"My objective and my responsibility is to be able to provide the Canadian Buildings Trades Union, as well as their various councils across the country, some advice on how to approach ministers, how to approach politicians, how to develop policies, how to build a case," he said.

"I'm not going to ruin my reputation by doing something I'm not supposed to be doing."

Arseneault used the example of the B.C. Building Trades coming to Ottawa last week to lobby all three political parties. They met with him to discuss various issues they wanted to bring up.

"I made sure they had a focused agenda on very specific issues," he said. "Then they're off on the Hill to do their lobbying [and] that is not part of my responsibility because that is what the conflict-of-interest commissioner has told me."

He said his new position could also allow him to talk to decision-makers about potential projects in Ottawa and bring investments back home.

He said he takes both his role as MLA and his new position very seriously.

Earlier this year, then-health minister Victor Boudreau gave CBC News a copy of his letter from Deschênes on his potential conflict of interest in the Parlee Beach contamination issue.

Cabinet ministers are prevented from holding other jobs, but backbench MLAs are allowed to hold positions and own companies as long as they clear them with the integrity commissioner.