Since its inception, the amount the group spends on lobbying the federal government has exploded, rising from just $260,000 in 2005 to $1.8 million in 2010. The lobbying shops Ogilvy Government Relations, Park Strategies, Smith-Free Group, Ryan MacKinnon and Barnes & Thornburg were the main beneficiaries of the influence push. The alliance paid each more than $100,000 last year, according to the Center for Responsive Politics.