OTTAWA - The national lobbying watchdog wants to be able to fine lobbyists who breach the rules.

Karen Shepherd is also looking for more protection, as well as more teeth.

She asked a Commons committee today to consider amending the Lobbying Act to allow her to levy fines in cases which might not warrant a formal reference to the RCMP.

As things stand, she says, she can only report to Parliament or call in the police when she finds problems.

"I am recommending an administrative monetary penalty mechanism be adopted," she told the MPs on the access-to-information, privacy and ethics committee.

She said she has no middle ground under the existing act.

"Right now, what I have at my disposal is educating and monitoring on one hand and, you know, the gap then that exists at the other extreme of referrals to the RCMP and reports to Parliament," she said.

"The ability to have administrative momentary penalties within my control as well that I could exercise, I think, would help in terms of timely decisions."

For example, she said, in the case of lobbyists who may be late with a monthly report or those who forget they have to register for a single meeting, a fine might be the most efficient way to go.

"Despite the available penalties under the current act, no one has ever been charged or convicted of an offence under the Lobbying Act," Shepherd said.

"I am of the view that, unless there are amendments to include a range of enforcement measures, the probability of consequences other than reports to Parliament remain low."

She said her provincial counterparts in British Columbia and Alberta have the power to impose fines of up to $25,000.

Conservative MP Brad Butt expressed concern about giving her the power to act as judge and jury in imposing fines, but Shepherd pointed out that all her decisions can be reviewed by the courts.

Referrals to the RCMP can cause delays, she said, because the law says that she has to suspend her own investigation once she sends a file to the Mounties.

"This affects my ability to render decisions and table reports to Parliament in a timely manner."

Shepherd also wants the MPs to consider giving her office more protection against lawsuits.

Her investigations are normally conducted in private, in part to protect the privacy of those who might be wrongfully accused. In some cases, though, she has gone public.

"I have started confirming to parliamentary committees that certain administrative reviews and investigations have been opened when the matter was clearly in the public domain," she said.

"As a result, I think it is important that the act be amended to include provisions which would offer the commissioner or any person acting on my behalf some degree of immunity against criminal or civil proceedings, libel or slander."

The commissioner also suggested that the reporting requirements of the act be tightened. Lobbying firms now must submit monthly reports on their contacts with designated public office-holders, but don't have to detail who was at the meetings.

"Only the senior officer is listed, even though he or she may not have attended the meeting."

And she would also like to narrow the rules about chance meetings between lobbyists and officials.

The rules now only cover "oral and arranged" communications.

"Deleting 'and arranged' would increase transparency by disclosing any chance meetings or other communications between lobbyists and designated public office-holders where registered lobbying activity takes place," she said.

New Democrat MP Charlie Angus said his concern wasn't regular lobbyists, but the "fly-by-night" types who try to slip under the radar.

"It seems that your hands are unfairly tied in terms of weeding these people out and holding them to account in an substantive way," he said.

He said fines might be the only way to rein in such people.