Technology companies increasingly lobby the Canadian federal government. The Tech Lobby Project regularly submits Access to Information (ATI) requests for records relating to lobbying communications between Canadian federal government departments and companies such as Amazon, Facebook, Google, IBM, Microsoft, Netflix, Twitter, Sidewalk Labs and Uber. Read more about our ATI requests here. Below you can find a list of the documents we’ve received recently in response to our ATI requests.
You can subscribe to receive a list of descriptions of recent ATI responses we have received by monthly email by signing up to our monthly email listserv here. For more information, or to access the documents themselves, please email Sara Bannerman at banners@mcmaster.ca
Tech Lobby News
[LOBBYING] Pierre Poilievre’s top adviser, Jenni Byrne, not yet contacted in Lobbying Commissioner probe (The Globe and Mail)
[LOBBYING] Pierre Poilievre: Memo to corporate Canada – fire your lobbyist. Ignore politicians. Go to the people (National Post)
[ACCESS TO INFORMATION] Remembering CAIRS, the federal FOI database that was quietly shut down in 2008 (Secret Canada)
Received in January 2024
Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission ATI Re-Requests
| Document Link | Reference |
| Telus reached out to Pierre-Louis Pregent (CRTC) regarding the new CMF guidelines and their desire to discuss community programming opportunities. The document includes several emails discussing their programming efforts. | Government of Canada, Access to Information Request A-2020-00028: Provide All Communications Sent to or from Bell Canada, Rogers Communications, Telus and the CRTC Regarding COVID-19. Timeline: May 15, 2020 to Present (August 31, 2020). Re-Requested under Access to Information Request (Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission, 2020), http://open.canada.ca/en/access-to-information. |
| The document includes an application submitted by Public Interest Advocacy Centre (PIAC) to launch a public proceeding regarding pandemic contact-tracing by major Canadian telecommunications service providers. Their application was denied, and the summary of this judgement can be found on pg. 9. | Government of Canada, Access to Information Request A-2020-00049: From May 26, 2020 to Present (November 24, 2020), All Documentation Regarding the Development and Implementation of Smart Phone Contact Tracing as Location Data for Public Health Tracing during the COVID-19 Pandemic Crisis.Re-Requested under Access to Information Request (Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission, 2020), http://open.canada.ca/en/access-to-information. |
| The document includes several requests/tickets that include questions to the CRTC regarding French music language requirements. There are numerous requests all written in French. | Government of Canada, Access to Information Request A-2020-00063: Obtain Information on Public Complaints Regarding Compliance with the French-Language Content Regulation, Namely the Nature of the Complaint, the Channel Concerned, the Date and the Province, for the Period from Jan. 1, 2000 to December 1, 2020. Re-Requested under Access to Information Request (Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission, 2020), http://open.canada.ca/en/access-to-information. |
| The document includes complaints from constituents to MPs regarding the rising cost of the Internet and the lack of competition in the telecommunication market. These requests/complaints were forwarded to the CRTC, and some complaints received a response. A number of these complaints came through during the pandemic during a time when ICT affordability was of great concern. | Government of Canada, Access to Information Request A-2020-00074 All Communications Related to Telecom Coverage and Affordability between the CRTC Staff and Bell Canada, Rogers Communications, Telus, Shaw Communications, and TekSavy. Timeline: January 1, 2021 to February 22, 2021 Re-Requested under Access to Information Request (Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission, 2021), http://open.canada.ca/en/access-to-information. |
| The document includes an email exchange between the Director of Global Satellite Government Affairs (SpaceX) and the prospect of bringing the Starlink service to Canada. SpaceX filed a request for the Basic International Telecommunications Services (BITS) Licence. | Government of Canada, Access to Information Request A Copy of A-2020-00081: All Communication Records between the CRTC and SpaceX Concerning the Low Earth Orbit Satellites Approved by the Commission in 2020 Including the Word “Starlink” or “Telesat”. Re-Requested under Access to Information Request (Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunication Commission, 2020), http://open.canada.ca/en/access-to-information. |
| The document includes a calendar invite for a teleconference with CAB-CEO Radio Council and CRTC. The stakeholder meeting was organized by Ian Scott and the required attendees include Amy Hanley, Scott Shortliffe, Rachel Marleau, Peter Foster, Rod Schween, Michel Lorrain, Peter Miller. Marie Claude Morin was also invited to the meeting as an optional attendee. In addition, there was another meet and greet scheduled with Rogers’ CEO Joe Natale and Ian Scott. | Government of Canada, Access to Information Request A-2021-00021 Information on Rogers Meetings and Communications with CRTC Chair Ian Scott on 5 Specified Dates between 2017 and 2021. Specifically: Venue of Each Meeting, Participants in Each Meeting, Agendas, Notes and/or Minutes from Each Meeting. Re-Requested under Access to Information Request (Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission, 2021), http://open.canada.ca/en/access-to-information. |