Innovation diffusion and networking: Canada's evolving approach to lobbying regulation

Lobby legislation and regulation in Canada are relatively new. The federal government was the first to enact lobby legislation in 1989, requiring only the most basic information. Eight provinces have since proclaimed lobby legislation and another has legislation pending. This article explores whether there was a common trajectory for lobby regulations and identifies the factors fostering similarity and differentiation. Using diffusion theory and the theory of institutional development, we attempt to explain the variation between jurisdictions in adopting particular democratic and ethical tools and approaches. We conclude that a particular and unique Canadian approach to lobby legislation benefitted from the creation of a network of federal and provincial officials across the country.