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Guy Giorno Ottawa Lawyer

Guy W. Giorno *

Partner | Leader, Political Law Fasken
Don’t attend a political fundraising event without checking local lobbying and ethics laws.
Jurisdiction Ontario, 1991
Language(s) English
Office(s) Toronto, Ottawa
Contact
*practising through a professional corporation
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Overview

Guy Giorno leads the firm’s Political Law practice. He advises clients on lobbyist registration, government accountability and ethics, public-sector conflict of interest and government procurement.

Guy represents corporate executives and lobbyists in enforcement proceedings, and guides companies and organizations to adopt strategies and policies to ensure political law compliance. He has testified on lobbying law and government ethics before parliamentary and legislative committees, has been consulted by several provinces on the design of their lobbyist registries, and previously served as Lobbyist Registrar for Brampton, Canada’s ninth largest city.

Though representing public-sector institutions (respondents) in freedom of information appeals throughout the 1990s, Guy now focuses on compliance and best practices. In addition, he also helps requesters to exercise their rights to obtain government records under freedom of information access to information legislation.

Guy has been appointed as the integrity commissioner (responsible for administering government ethics rules) in the Ontario municipalities of Adjala-Tosorontio, Calvin, Deep River, Dryden, Grand Valley, Greater Madawaska, Magnetawan, Mapleton, Melancthon, Minto, Mono, Mulmur, North Algona Wilberforce, North Bay, North Dumfries, North Perth, Perth East, Peterborough, Shelburne and Wellington County.

Guy is the co-author of the legal text Lobbying in Canada and former Chair of the “Law of Lobbying and Ethics” committee of the Canadian Bar Association.

Achievements

  • Recognized in Administrative and Public Law in Toronto, The Best Lawyers in Canada 2021 to 2025
  • Recognized as a Thomson Reuters Stand-out Lawyer (formerly known as Acritas Star™ lawyer), Thomson Reuters stand-out lawyers 2023 to 2024
  • 2008 OVATION Award of Excellence for Writing, International Association of Business Communicators/Toronto , 2008

Client Work

  • ShaMaran Petroleum Corp. announces exclusive corporate sponsorship in a first-of-its-kind climate action program in Kurdistan, [Deal - ShaMaran Petroleum Corp.], ShaMaran Petroleum Corp. ("ShaMaran") (TSXV: SNM) (Nasdaq First North Growth Market (Sweden): SNM) announces exclusive corporate sponsorship in a first-of-its-kind climate action program in Kurdistan
  • China's Zijin Mining to buy Canada's Nevsun for approximately C$1.86 billion, [Deal - Zijin Mining Group]
  • Senior Advisor to Canada Health Infoway in implementing PrescribeIT, [Deal - Canada Health Infoway]
  • Re City of Toronto, Orders MO-2135-I, MO-2226, MO-2275, MO-2282-I, MO-2389, MO-2396-F (Information and Privacy Commissioner/Ontario), [Case - Confidential Client]
  • Coalition of Ontario Pharmacy succeeds in campaign to change proposed Transparent Drug System for Patients Act (Bill 102), [Deal - Confidential Client]
  • Electrical Power Systems Construction Association and Ontario Hydro, Re I.B.E.W. Local 1788, [1991] O.L.R.B. Rep. July 832, [Case - Electrical Power Systems Construction Association and Ontario Hydro]
  • Hands Off Our Lights Coalition and Greater Toronto Electrical Contractors Association fight sale of Toronto street lights, [Case - Hands Off Our Lights Coalition and Greater Toronto Electrical Contractors Association]
  • Legislators file and defend complaints under Members' Integrity Act, [Deal - Confidential Client]
  • Re Orillia Soldiers' Memorial Hospital and O.N.A. (1993), 34 L.A.C. (4th) 315, [Case - Confidential Client]

Career & Education

Education

  • LLB University of Toronto

Memberships & Affiliations

  • Former Chair, Law of Lobbying and Ethics Committee, Canadian Bar Association, Administrative Law Section
  • Former Certification Committee Co-Chair and former Steering Committee Member, Council on Governmental Ethics Laws
  • Senior Fellow, Munk School of Global Affairs and Public Policy
  • Adjunct Professor, Carleton University Clayton H. Riddell Graduate Program in Political Management
  • Member, Ontario Bar Association

Knowledge

Events

News

Publications

  • BC Businesses and Organizations Need to Prepare for New Lobbying Law, 4/22/2020
  • Gifts to Government Officials: A Holiday Reminder, 11/28/2016
  • Lobbying in Canada – Quebec Edition, 1/15/2014
Article Gifts to Government Officials: A Holiday Reminder
Book Lobbying in Canada – Quebec Edition

Speaking Engagements

  • Protecting Your Company in the Age of Conflict: An Overview of Public Sector Ethics Laws, Lobbying Laws and Conflict of Interest Laws, 6/7/2018
  • Increasing Transparency and Levelling the Field: Response to Election Finances Statute Law Amendment Act, 2016, 6/9/2016
  • Law of Government Relations (Lobbying) – Professional Implications for Corporate Counsel, 6/2/2016
Speaker Protecting Your Company in the Age of Conflict: An Overview of Public Sector Ethics Laws, Lobbying Laws and Conflict of Interest Laws Fasken Toronto Symposium (8th Edition) location location Toronto, ON
Law of Government Relations (Lobbying) – Professional Implications for Corporate Counsel location location Toronto

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