PREFERENTIAL ACCESS TO TRUDEAU CABINET MEMBERS

   OTTAWA — A Facebook executive with ties to the ruling Liberals was grilled today about his preferential access to senior members of the Trudeau cabinet, even though no one from the social-media giant, including himself, is a registered lobbyist in Canada.
   In his appearance before a parliamentary committee, Facebook Canada's public policy head Kevin Chan was questioned by New Democrat MP Charlie Angus on why he had yet to register as a lobbyist, given the fact he's met senior cabinet members, including Finance Minister Bill Morneau.

     Chan, ex-policy director for former Liberal leader Michael Ignatieff, defended himself by saying it was unnecessary for him to register since the proportion of his lobbying activities falls short of the Lobbying Act's 20 per cent minimum threshold.

    He also insists, for instance, that his meeting with Morneau strictly involved him showing the minister how to set up a Facebook Live event to broadcast a budget speech.

Nothing to see here, move along....