Abina Mohanarajah
Regional Advisor, Veterans Affairs Canada (VAC)·10 communications in the past year
Lobbied by
Jack.org
2To communicate with public office holders and provide advisory services in respect of federal legislation, regulations, and public policy initiatives affecting youth, including but not limited to online harms legislation, artificial intelligence technologies (including chatbots), and other existing or proposed legislative or regulatory measures that may impact young people. Requesting $500,000 over two years to formally integrate youth mental health leadership and lived experience into federal workforce, health, and education strategies, by funding partnerships with Jack.org to support youth co-design, policy consultation, and evaluation initiatives with departments like Health Canada, ESDC, PHAC, and PCH. Jack.org is seeking to work alongside the Government of Canada to advance on youth mental health prevention and promotion initiatives, policies, programs, service delivery and funding streams. Jack.org is seeking to have discussions with the Government of Canada to discuss the current issues impacting youth mental health. Jack.org is advocating to ensure youth are equipped with resources from the Government of Canada to support their mental health and prevent a mental health crisis from occurring. Jack.org is seeking to work alongside the Government of Canada to remove barriers and stigma associated with youth mental health care and support.
To communicate with public office holders and provide advisory services in respect of federal legislation, regulations, and public policy initiatives affecting youth, including but not limited to online harms legislation, artificial intelligence technologies (including chatbots), and other existing or proposed legislative or regulatory measures that may impact young people. Requesting $500,000 over two years to formally integrate youth mental health leadership and lived experience into federal workforce, health, and education strategies, by funding partnerships with Jack.org to support youth co-design, policy consultation, and evaluation initiatives with departments like Health Canada, ESDC, PHAC, and PCH. Seeking a federal investment of $2.5 million over three years through the Public Health Agency of Canada or the Youth Mental Health Fund to scale Jack.orgs Be There Certificate and edHub, reaching 75,000 youth by 2028 with evidence-informed mental health literacy tools in both digital and school-based formats. Engaging with Canadas regional development agencies (e.g. ACOA, CanNor, PrairiesCan, FedNor, FedDev Ontario) to explore regionally tailored initiatives that strengthen the youth talent pipeline, support youth mental health and leadership, and contribute to the growth of local businesses by equipping young people with the skills, resilience, and capacity to participate in and lead regional economic development. Advocating for the recapitalization of the Youth Employment and Skills Strategy (YESS) and allocation of $3 million over three years to Jack.org to fund 420 paid, peer-led youth mental health leadership positionsdelivering mentorship, Jack Talks, and outreach that will reach 200,000 youth across Canada by 2028.
Homeward Public Affairs
Pearson Education
2Discuss apprenticeship training, skills development, and digital credentials for the Canadian Armed Forces Discuss labour mobility in Canada with the introduction of a National Skills Passport Discuss the impact of artificial intelligence on the Canadian job market and opportunities for reskilling. Expand access to reliable, secure English language testing options for immigration, citizenship and foreign student admission to Canada.
Discuss the impact of artificial intelligence on the Canadian job market and opportunities for reskilling. Discuss apprenticeship training, skills development, and digital credentials for the Canadian Armed Forces Discuss labour mobility in Canada with the introduction of a National Skills Passport Expand access to reliable, secure English language testing options for immigration, citizenship and foreign student admission to Canada.
Counsel Public Affairs
Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Society of Canada
1To provide funding for the Canadian Collaboration to Cure ALS, to establish a coordinated national research ecosystem through which every Canadian living with ALS can participate in, and benefit from, cutting-edge science that will accelerate discoveries by Canadian researchers, advance understanding of the disease, and enable the development of therapies to treat this devastating terminal illness with greater precision. Sources of funding are to be determined. Policies or programs related to access to care and potential treatments for the ALS Community. Amendment to the compassionate care program to make it more accessible to caregivers and to increase the length of the benefit.
Dairy Farmers of Canada
1Health Canada's consultation and next steps around regulation of foods derived from somatic cell nuclear transfer clones. Agriculture and dairy farming (Farm Management and Technology and Social/Policy Challenges) International trade negotiations and ensuring mitigation measures for existing/future trade agreements. WTO (World Trade Organization) Negotiations on Agriculture as it relates to supply management. Use of Veterinary Natural Health Products in dairy livestock production - Veterinary Drugs Directorate of Health Canada. Trans fats, Saturated fats, Sodium and Sugar as it relates to dairy products, Food Guide recommendations and nutritional labelling. Traceability Under "Agricultural Partnership", the establishment of regulations for traceability. Collaborating with provincial and federal governments in the determination of private and public interests and in discussions with Ministers re government/industry share of costs. Research Under "Canadian Agricultural Partnership", the federal Minister of Agriculture and Agri-food announced a research cluster, in cooperation with Dairy Farmers of Canada, worth $12M. Quality Milk Program - Implementation and administration of the Quality Milk Program under the Canadian On-Farm Food Safety Program of AAFC. Product of Canada consultations Dairy Farmers of Canada participated in federal government consultations on regulations pertaining to "Product of Canada". proAction - implementation and administration of the proAction program. Ingredients Industry stakeholders discussion on domestic ingredient strategy, pricing of components, marketing of ingredients. Involves discussions with the Canadian Dairy Commission. Implementation of Special Agricultural Safeguard for supply-managed products, dairy products in particular. Implementation of new tariff rate quotas for milk protein isolates as per GATT Article XXVIII, Amendment to Customs Tariff (tariff line 3504). Work with Finance Canada, AAFC and DFAIT on implementation and allocation of said TRQ. Implementation of a Grocers Code of Conduct. Guide for Food labelling and Advertising in respect of all dairy products and use of dairy terminology (modifiers, highlighted ingredients). Growing Forward. This is a federal-provincial agreement with oversight for many of our issues (Business Risk Management, Research, etc.) Food and Drug Act and its accompanying regulations as they apply to all dairy product compositional standards, in particular those on cheese and yogourt. Food and Drug Act and its accompanying regulations as it applies to the labelling and advertising of dairy products Federal framework and action plan on antimicrobial us and antimicrobial resistance. Explicit and implied Health Claims related to dairy and non-dairy products Ensure the appropriate allocation of the Tariff Rate Quotas under the Comprehensive Review of the Allocation and Administration of Tariff Rate Quotas for Dairy, Poultry and Egg Products. Discretionary Food Fortification policy of Health Canada. DFC has particular interest in the discretionary food fortification of non-nutritious foods and vitamin fortification of dairy products. Discretionary Food Fortification Governed by Food and Drug Act and the Agricultural Products Marketing Act. Development of the Code of Practice for the Care and handling of Dairy Cattle in cooperation with CFIA's activities in OIE (Organisation mondiale de la Santé Animale). Contribute to a Vision Exercise on the future of dairy with AAFC. Consultations on supplemented foods. Consultation on Vitamin D fortification. Climate Change / Environment Farm practices for greenhouse gas mitigation; documenting programs that exist provincially and federally that are available to dairy producers; promoting best management practices. Canadian Agricultural Products Act with respect to standards for ice cream and yogurt. Canada-EU Trade Agreement, CUSMA, CPTTP and Canada-UK. The components within these agreements that we are interested in are ag
Manulife Financial
1Bill C-15 with respect to proposal to change the tax treatment on income earned by Canadian insurance companies on foreign property. Changes programs and policies to increase private sector infrastructure investment and attract foreign capital to Canada Standards for banking (open banking) and regulation of data processing including the use of artificial intelligence. Policies and programs related to Canada trade relations with other countries and Canada's economic competitiveness. Improve the Global Minimum Tax Act to promote international coordination and harmonization on timing and operation. Office of the Superintendent of Financial Institutions and the Supervision of Insurers and Banks in particular to improve the ability of Canadian companies to compete and grow outside of Canada. Insurance Companies Act and regulations to amend the Act to permit greater investment by insurers outside of the financial sector and to improve the ability of Canadian companies to compete and grow outside of Canada. Healthcare policy, specifically in relating to, employee benefits programs, including long-term disability, drug benefit plans and health data standards. Veterans Benefits including programs and policies that provide financial and other assistance to current and former members of the Canadian Armed Forces. Privacy, Human Rights and Insurance including the Privacy Act, Human Rights Act and the Canada Labour Code.
Nanaimo Foundation (o/a Fair Care Alliance)
1Communicating with government officials on behalf of the Nanaimo Foundation, including on behalf the Fair Care Alliance, about government funding and policy support to (i) expand tertiary health care capacity at Nanaimo Regional General Hospital, (ii) improve access to specialized and critical care services for residents of North and Central Vancouver Island and (iii) support modern, sustainable health infrastructure to meet current and future health care needs of British Columbians.
Barrack Hill Public Affairs
Polytechnics Canada
1Tax policy affecting philanthropy, small business innovation and post-secondary institutions; tax benefits and credits for apprentices; tax benefits and credits for employers. Participate in all relevant policy discussions and consultations about academic research funding, business innovation and applied research; how businesses, non-profits and other enterprises benefit from innovation supports from academic institutions/polytechnics. Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council, College and Community Innovation Program; tri-council structure and funding; eligibility of polytechnics and colleges for research funding and research support; Horizon Europe and opportunities for polytechnics to engage in international research partnerships. Highly skilled workforce; in-demand occupations. Supports, programs and policies designed to boost innovation and productivity; technology adoption; respond to skills needs; polytechnics and colleges as innovation intermediaries. Student housing; funding to support equipment purchase for training in high-demand fields, infrastructure programs geared to the post-secondary sector. Respond to consultations and advocate for change to international student policy; consider how polytechnics/colleges support inward and outward student mobility; consider international best practices for workforce development and applied research; better integration of newcomers through credential recognition, prior learning recognition and upskilling. Participate in all relevant policy discussions about skills training and work-integrated learning; upskilling and reskilling policies, programs and funding; apprenticeship training, attraction, retention and completion, including on federal projects. Adequate financial support for learners through the Canada Student Loan Program and other student-centered programs; Edu-Canada marketing and branding initiatives. Participate in all relevant policy discussions and consultations related to productivity, business innovation, technology adoption and artificial intelligence. Seeking funding for the activities of polytechnics and colleges in areas including workforce development, applied research and infrastructure/equipment. Canada Foundation for Innovation - Seek ongoing infrastructure support for the applied research conducted by colleges and Polytechnics.
The Salvation Army Canada and Bermuda Territory
1Correspondence with Ministers including those responsible for regional economic development agencies with respect to programs, grant, and contribution programs for community-based organizations as it relates to employment. Discussing housing policies and the need to include Safe Houses, and emergency shelter in future government housing policies. Ongoing communication with Public Safety Canada, Health Canada, PHAC and Indigenous Services Canada in regard to The Salvation Army's emergency and disaster response services across the country with respect to the development and enhancement of a humanitarian workforce. Requesting consideration for ongoing support of the Civilian workforce and matching grants to public donations for disaster relief. Lobbying on behalf of Thrift Stores, and the environmental impact as well as social support to Canada and Canadians. Providing information and seeking financial assistance to institute a technological innovation for receipting donations to thrift store donors. Communication with CMHC officials about loan and contribution agreements under the National Housing Co-Investment Fund, Build Canada Homes and Rapid Housing Initiative. Communication with CBSA regarding ongoing support and the relationship with our Correctional Services that provide programs, and shelter for inmates leaving incarceration and transitioning into community through our halfway houses, programs and services Advocating for support of individuals who are seeking support from The Salvation Army as a result of experiencing gender-based violence. Advocating for financial support for individuals and families facing poverty, homeless and food insecurity.
Edelman