Organizations connected to the provincial and federal governments are paying firms linked with Prime Minister Paul Martin to lobby Ottawa on their behalf, Public Eye has learned. According to the federal registry, Vancouver's transportation authority and its subsidiary RAV Project Management Ltd. have retained Earnscliffe Strategy Group Inc. to support the Richmond-Airport-Vancouver rapid transit line and fuel tax transfers. Earnscliffe, which opened an office in Vancouver two months ago, has sometimes been referred to as the Martin government's shadow prime minister's office.

The authority, RAVCO and West Coast Express Ltd. (another TransLink subsidiary) are also being represented by Burrard Communications Inc., Mark Marissen's lobbying firm. Mr. Marissen was responsible for Prime Minister Martin's West coast leadership and election campaigns and is married to former Campbell administration cabinet minister Christy Clark. In addition, Burrard is working for provincially-owned British Columbia Ferry Services Inc. Other clients include the federally-operated Fraser River and Prince Rupert port authorities.