Ottawa lobbyist receives 30 day lobbying ban as part of Coun. Harder case

Ottawa City Hall. (File photo)

OTTAWA -

Horizon Ottawa is calling for a "longer, stricter" lobbying ban for an Ottawa consultant as part of the fallout from the Coun. Jan Harder integrity case.

Jack Stirling, president of the Stirling Group, is banned from lobbying at city hall between Aug. 3 and Sept. 2 after acknowledging he breached the rules.

Integrity Commissioner Robert Marleau contacted Stirling on July 29 to inform him that he was in breach of the Lobbyist Registry Bylaw and the Lobbyists Code of Conduct.

In a compliance agreement reached with the Integrity Commissioner, Stirling acknowledged his company provided free services to a member of Council between November 2019 and February 2020, while he was registered as a lobbyist. Stirling had three active lobbying files with the city of Ottawa.

Stirling also said he is "now aware" that he breached the Lobbyist Registry Bylaw by placing a public office holder in a perceived conflict of interest.

In June, Harder resigned as chair of the planning committee after the Integrity Commissioner found she violated council's code of conduct.

Marleau ruled Harder's relationship with Stirling and his daughter "tainted" the city's planning and development process. The Integrity Commissioner found Harder hired Stirling's daughter to work in the councillor's office and issued contracts to his company.

Horizon Ottawa calls the ban a "small vacation" for Stirling.

"We're encouraged that Stirling admitted to wrongdoing, but a small 30-day ban, while no meetings are taking place, will do precious little and shows that city hall isn't serious about tackling the perception of developer influence at city hall," said Sam Hersh, Horizon Ottawa board member.