High Park Group (HPG)
Background
The High Park Group (HPG) describes itself as a Toronto-based “public affairs firm,” that has been in operation since 2001. HPG’s roster of clients includes large corporations, industry associations and not-for-profit organizations.1“About Us,” High Park Group. Archived December 3, 2016. Archive.is URL: https://archive.is/0ioJN
In 2007, DeSmog found that two of the the Directors sitting on the board of Natural Resources Stewardship Project were also senior executives of the High Park Group. They included former HPG president Timothy Egan and NRSP Executive Director Tom Harris. Timothy Egan urged Tom Harris to start the NRSP in order to lobby the government on climate change. NRSP, unlike the High Park Group, would be able to lobby without declaring its funding sources.2James Hoggan. “NRSP Controlled by Energy Lobbyists,” DeSmog, January 18, 2007. 3Richard Littlemore. “NRSP: Lobbying Without Accountability,” DeSmog, February 1, 2007.
According to the High Park Group’s website, “We have advocated for the needs of a broad range of Canadian and international companies in the areas of natural gas, nuclear, mining and hydropower, among others. Through projects we have worked on with industry associations in the energy and natural resources sector, we have helped shape the direction of regulatory reform of environmental legislation and energy policy.”4“Our Experience,” High Park Group. Archive.is URL: https://archive.is/Gib4t
Stance on Climate Change
The Natural Resources Stewardship Project, of which HPG has been closely connected to, believed that “Global climate change is primarily a natural phenomenon and so governments should focus on solving environmental problems over which we have influence (air, land and water pollution being obvious examples).”5“The NRSP Strategy: First Year Action Plan; ‘Understanding Climate Change‘,” The Natural Resources Stewardship Project. Archived July 2, 2007. Archive.is URL: https://archive.is/2Dia1
Funding
According to a December, 2016 search of the Lobbyists Registration System, Government of Canada, the High Park Group has been a registered lobbyist for numerous energy and natural resource companies including the following:6“The Registry of Lobbyists,” Office of the Commissioner of Lobbying of Canada. Archived data on file at DeSmog.
- Canadian Electricity Association
- Canadian Gas Association
- Association of Canadian Search Employment and Staffing Services (ACSESS) – Ottawa Chapter
- Areva Canada Inc. (The Areva Group is the world’s largest nuclear power company)
- Arise Technologies Corporation
- Jyoti Structures Limited
- Cepa (Canadian Energy Pipeline Association)
- Transcanada Corporation
- Canadian Coalition Against Terror
- Golden Band Resources Inc.
- National Airlines Council Of Canada
- Algonquin Power Development
- Columbia Power Corporation
- Canadian Hydropower Association
- Macdonald Dettwiler And Associates Ltd.
- Encana Corporation
Key People
The HPG appears to have two parallel websites (here, and here), one of which may be out-of-date. Their more recent site lists only one team member:7High Park Group homepage. Archived December 5, 2016. Archive.is URL: https://archive.is/nXbZM 8“Our Team,” High Park Group. Archived December 5, 2016. Archive.is URL: https://archive.is/nXbZM
- Patricia Armstrong — President
Whereas the other website has listed a range of team members over the years:
| Name | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2016 | Position |
| Bernadette Coren | Y | Y | Y | Y | Senior Associates | |
| Carolyn Foster | Y | Y | Project Co-ordinator | |||
| Catherine Mathie | Y | Associates | ||||
| Christopher Mahon | Y | Y | Associates | |||
| David Tingle | Y | Y | Associates | |||
| Jean d’Cruz | Y | Y | Office Manager | |||
| Julio Lagos | Y | Director, Regulatory Affairs | ||||
| Kara Johnson | Y | Y | Y | Y | Directors | |
| Kathleen McGinnis | Y | Y | Y | Y | Directors | |
| Marlo Lair | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | President |
| Maureen Cassidy | Y | Y | Y | Senior Associates | ||
| Michael Connell | Y | Y | Y | Directors | ||
| Patrick Brown | Y | Y | Y | Senior Associates | ||
| Sheryl Saperia | Y | Senior Associates | ||||
| Susan J. Trites | Y | Y | Y | Office Manager | ||
| Timothy M. Egan | Y | Y | Y | Y | President | |
| Tom Harris | Y | Director, Ottawa Operations |
Actions
2010
The Globe and Mail reports that the High Park Group was commissioned by the department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) to gather industry and business observations about the habitat protection provisions of the Fisheries Act.9Gloria Galloway. “Controversial changes to Fisheries Act guided by industry demands,” The Globe and Mail, August 5, 2013. Archive.is URL: https://archive.is/0QLLt
According to the Globe and Mail, future adjustments to the bill, which some ecologists called “the biggest setback to conservation law in more than 50 years,” may have been influenced by wording offered by industry associations.10Gloria Galloway. “Controversial changes to Fisheries Act guided by industry demands,” The Globe and Mail, August 5, 2013. Archive.is URL: https://archive.is/0QLLt
The HPG had consulted 23 organizations including the Canadian Electricity Association (CEA), the Canadian Hydropower Association (CHA) and the Saskatchewan Chamber of Commerce (SKCC), all which “roundly criticized the law.”11Gloria Galloway. “Controversial changes to Fisheries Act guided by industry demands,” The Globe and Mail, August 5, 2013. Archive.is URL: https://archive.is/0QLLt
May 2006
Tim Ball admitted that the High Park Group had “brought me in and set me up in a room to give a talk and present my views” on climate change. The following is from the interview between Tim Ball and the Ottawa Citizen, as reported at Deltoid:12“What does Tim Ball mean by ‘to my knowledge’?” Deltoid, July 5, 2006. Archive.is URL: https://archive.is/i0Qxz 13Kevin Grandia. “Dr. Tim Ball On CFC’s and the Sponsorship Scandal,” DeSmog, June 7, 2006.
TB: The High Park Group brought me in and set me up in a room to give a talk and present my views.
Q: You didn’t get paid for those speeches?
TB: Oh I get paid of course.
Q: Did you ever look into where the conference got their money from?
TB: I don’t know.
Q: You got paid yesterday to speak?
TB: Yes.
Q: But you don’t know who paid you?
TB: The High Park Group paid me. I don’t know who paid them.
Q: Which is a public relations group?
TB: I have no idea where they get their money from. … I make a point of not trying to find out who’s paying me. I don’t care.
High Park Group Contact & Location
As of May 23, 2016 the High Park Group was located at the following addresses:14“Contact Us,” High Park Group. Archived May 23, 2016. Archive.is URL: https://archive.is/A2ONI
Toronto Office:
303 Jane Street
Toronto, Ontario M6S 3Z3
(416) 535-2815 [phone]
(416) 531-4769 [fax]Ottawa Office:
130 Albert Street, Suite 912
Ottawa, Ontario K1P 5G4
(613) 231-5666 [phone]
Related Organizations
According to Tom Harris, the idea behind the NRSP project came from Timothy Egan, then-president of the High Park Group.15Peter Gorrie. “Who’s still cool on global warming?” Toronto Star, January 28, 2007. Archive.is URL: https://archive.is/ffZrx
Other Resources
- Richard Littlemore. “NRSP: Lobbying Without Accountability,” DeSmog, February 1, 2007.
- “High Park Advocacy Group,” SourceWatch Profile.
- “High Park Group,” Wikipedia Entry.
Resources
- 1“About Us,” High Park Group. Archived December 3, 2016. Archive.is URL: https://archive.is/0ioJN
- 2James Hoggan. “NRSP Controlled by Energy Lobbyists,” DeSmog, January 18, 2007.
- 3Richard Littlemore. “NRSP: Lobbying Without Accountability,” DeSmog, February 1, 2007.
- 4“Our Experience,” High Park Group. Archive.is URL: https://archive.is/Gib4t
- 5“The NRSP Strategy: First Year Action Plan; ‘Understanding Climate Change‘,” The Natural Resources Stewardship Project. Archived July 2, 2007. Archive.is URL: https://archive.is/2Dia1
- 6“The Registry of Lobbyists,” Office of the Commissioner of Lobbying of Canada. Archived data on file at DeSmog.
- 7
- 8“Our Team,” High Park Group. Archived December 5, 2016. Archive.is URL: https://archive.is/nXbZM
- 9Gloria Galloway. “Controversial changes to Fisheries Act guided by industry demands,” The Globe and Mail, August 5, 2013. Archive.is URL: https://archive.is/0QLLt
- 10Gloria Galloway. “Controversial changes to Fisheries Act guided by industry demands,” The Globe and Mail, August 5, 2013. Archive.is URL: https://archive.is/0QLLt
- 11Gloria Galloway. “Controversial changes to Fisheries Act guided by industry demands,” The Globe and Mail, August 5, 2013. Archive.is URL: https://archive.is/0QLLt
- 12“What does Tim Ball mean by ‘to my knowledge’?” Deltoid, July 5, 2006. Archive.is URL: https://archive.is/i0Qxz
- 13Kevin Grandia. “Dr. Tim Ball On CFC’s and the Sponsorship Scandal,” DeSmog, June 7, 2006.
- 14“Contact Us,” High Park Group. Archived May 23, 2016. Archive.is URL: https://archive.is/A2ONI
- 15Peter Gorrie. “Who’s still cool on global warming?” Toronto Star, January 28, 2007. Archive.is URL: https://archive.is/ffZrx
