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
Received in June 2023
Microsoft Canada Inc.
| Document Link | Reference |
| Document outlines Microsoft’s Hyperscale Cloud Services in preparation for a meeting with Lisa Carroll and Scott Jones (Shared Services Canada). | Government of Canada, Access to Information Requests A-2022-00405 Submitted to Shared Services Canada (SSC) for Records Related to “All Records Relating to Registered Lobbying Communication #544123 Involving Scott Jones, Executive Vice President, Shared Services Canada (SSC) and Microsoft Canada Inc. on September 29, 2022.” (Shared Services Canada, 2022), http://open.canada.ca/en/access-to-information. |
Amazon Web Services
| Document Link | Reference |
| Document includes an agenda for the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) from Amazon Web Services. Also, speaking notes for the Ottawa Public Sector Summit to launch meeting with Amazon and CRA. | Government of Canada, Access to Information Request A-2022-157714 Submitted to Canada Revenue Agency for Records Related to a “All Records Relating to Registered Lobbying Communication #508039 Involving Annette Butikofer, Assistant Commissioner and Chief Information Officer, Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) and Amazon Web Services Canada, Inc. on May 18, 2021.” (Canada Revenue Agency, 2021), http://open.canada.ca/en/access-to-information. |
| Document includes an agenda for the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) from Amazon Web Services. Also, speaking notes for the Ottawa Public Sector Summit to launch meeting with Amazon and CRA. | Government of Canada, Access to Information Request A-2022-157714 Submitted to Canada Revenue Agency for Records Related to a “All Records Relating to Registered Lobbying Communication #487217 Involving Annette Butikofer, Assistant Commissioner, Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) and Amazon Web Services Canada, Inc. on October 23, 2020.” (Canada Revenue Agency, 2021), http://open.canada.ca/en/access-to-information. |
| Document includes an agenda for the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) from Amazon Web Services. Also, speaking notes for the Ottawa Public Sector Summit to launch meeting with Amazon and CRA. | Government of Canada, Access to Information Request A-2022-157714 Submitted to Canada Revenue Agency for Records Related to a “All Records Relating to Registered Lobbying Communication #534413 Involving Santo Scarfo, Assistant Commissioner and Chief Information Officer, Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) and Amazon Web Services Canada, Inc. on May 31, 2022.” (Canada Revenue Agency, 2022), http://open.canada.ca/en/access-to-information. |
| Document includes an agenda for the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) from Amazon Web Services. Also, speaking notes for the Ottawa Public Sector Summit to launch meeting with Amazon and CRA. | Government of Canada, Access to Information Request A-2022-157714 Submitted to Canada Revenue Agency for Records Related to a “All Records Relating to Registered Lobbying Communication #538026 Involving Santo Scarfo, Assistant Commissioner and Chief Information Officer, Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) and Amazon Web Services Canada, Inc. on June 24, 2022.” (Canada Revenue Agency, 2022), http://open.canada.ca/en/access-to-information. |
Amazon Canada Fulfillment Services
| Document Link | Reference |
| Documents include correspondence between Transport Canada and Amazon Canada Fulfilment Services regarding Amazon’s proposal for a facility at Hamilton Airport. In addition, there was a risk assessment filed with Transport Canada. | Government of Canada, Access to Information Request A-2023-00074 Submitted to Transport Canada (TC) for Records Related to a ‘All Records Relating to Registered Lobbying Communication #486613 Involving Malcolm MacEachern, Special Assistant, Transport Canada (TC) and Amazon Canada Fulfillment Services, ULC on October 27, 2020. With Regards to All Records, We Are Looking for (All Notes, Documents, Drafts, Electronic Documents, Emails, Memos, Preparatory Meeting Notes, Reports and Presentations [Exclude Cabinet Confidences]), Relating to Registered Lobbying Communications.”’ (Transport Canada (TC), 2020), http://open.canada.ca/en/access-to-information. |
| The document includes a Microsoft teams calendar meeting scheduled for 10/25/2021 between Amazon and the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunication Commission (CRTC). The participants include: Julie Zoller, Global Director, Kuiper Regulatory; Gonzalo de Dios, Head of Global Licensing, Kuiper; Chris Hofer, Senior Manager, Kuiper Regulatory; James Maunder, Director, Canada Public Policy. Lastly, the organizer of the meeting is Ian Scott from the CRTC. | Government of Canada, Access to Information Request A-2023-00012 Submitted to Canadian Radio-Television and Telecommunications Commission for Records Related to a ’All Records Relating to Registered Lobbying Communication #515261 Involving Scott Shortliffe, Executive Director, Canadian Radio-Television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) and Amazon Canada Fulfillment Services, ULC on October 25, 2021. All Records Relating to Registered Lobbying Communication #515261 Involving Scott Hutton, Chief of Consumer, Research and Communications, Canadian Radio-Television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) and Amazon Canada Fulfillment Services, ULC on October 25, 2021. All Records Relating to Registered Lobbying Communication #515261 Involving Ian Scott, Chairperson and Chief Executive Officer, Canadian Radio-Television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) and Amazon Canada Fulfillment Services, ULC on October 25, 2021. ’ (Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission, 2023), http://open.canada.ca/en/access-to-information. |
| The document released is in connection to com log 515261 with the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission and Amazon Canada. | Government of Canada, Access to Information Request A-2023-00012 Submitted to Canadian Radio-Television and Telecommunications Commission for Records Related to a “All Records Relating to Registered Lobbying Communication #543388 Involving Scott Shortliffe, Executive Director, Canadian Radio-Television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) and Amazon Canada Fulfillment Services, ULC on September 28, 2022.” (Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission, 2022), http://open.canada.ca/en/access-to-information. |
| The document released is in connection to com log 515261 with the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission and Amazon Canada. | Government of Canada, Access to Information Request A-2023-00012 Submitted to Canadian Radio-Television and Telecommunications Commission for Records Related to a ‘Ll Records Relating to Registered Lobbying Communication #486609 Involving Scott Shortliffe, Executive Director, Broadcasting, Canadian Radio-Television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) and Amazon Canada Fulfillment Services, ULC on October 06, 2020. All Records Relating to Registered Lobbying Communication #486609 Involving Scott Hutton, Chief of Consumer, Research and Communications, Canadian Radio-Television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) and Amazon Canada Fulfillment Services, ULC on October 06, 2020. With Regards to All Records, We Are Looking for (All Notes, Documents, Drafts, Electronic Documents, Emails, Memos, Preparatory Meeting Notes, Reports and Presentations [Exclude Cabinet Confidences]), Relating to Registered Lobbying Communications. ”’ (Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission, 2020), http://open.canada.ca/en/access-to-information. |
Oracle Canada
| Document Link | Reference |
| The documents include a vendor profile on Oracle Canada that was shared in preparation for their meeting on February 19, 2021, with Shared Services Canada. The purpose of the meeting: “EVP introductory meeting and discussion on what Oracle is doing in the GC and SSC, and to identify how to better support SSC’s plans and priorities” | Government of Canada, Access to Information Request A-2022-00422 Submitted to Shared Services Canada (SSC) for Records Related to a “All Records Relating to Registered Lobbying Communication #514537 Involving Sony Perron, Executive Vice President, Shared Services Canada (SSC) and Oracle Canada on September 08, 2021.” (Shared Services Canada (SSC), 2021), http://open.canada.ca/en/access-to-information. |
| The documents include a vendor profile on Oracle Canada that was shared in preparation for their meeting on February 19, 2021, with Shared Services Canada. The purpose of the meeting: “EVP introductory meeting and discussion on what Oracle is doing in the GC and SSC, and to identify how to better support SSC’s plans and priorities” | Government of Canada, Access to Information Request A-2022-00429 Submitted to Shared Services Canada (SSC) for Records Related to a ’ All Records Relating to Registered Lobbying Communication #497763 Involving Sony Perron, Executive Vice President, Shared Services Canada (SSC) and Oracle Canada on February 19, 2021. ’ (Shared Services Canada (SSC), 2021), http://open.canada.ca/en/access-to-information. |
IBM Canada Ltd.
| The document includes an email exchange between IBM and Transport Canada (TC). In the email, IBM offers their support to Transport Canada (TC) and suggests that they can help the government with some of the issues they’ve had at the airports across the country. | Government of Canada, Access to Information Request A-2023-00067 Submitted to Transport Canada (TC) for Records Related to a “All Records Relating to Registered Lobbying Communication #540168 Involving Elisabeth d’Amours, Policy Advisor, Transport Canada (TC) and IBM Canada Ltd. on July 05, 2022. With Regards to All Records, We Are Looking for (All Notes, Documents, Drafts, Electronic Documents, Emails, Memos, Preparatory Meeting Notes, Reports and Presentations [Exclude Cabinet Confidences]), Relating to Registered Lobbying Communications.” (Transport Canada (TC), 2022), http://open.canada.ca/en/access-to-information. |
| Brief document that includes an email exchange and a calendar invite for a meeting with Kim Watson the new VP of IBM and Dan Cooper from the Treasury Board of Canada. | Government of Canada, Access to Information Request A-2022-01695 Submitted to Treasury Board Of Canada Secretariat (TBS) for Records Related to a “All Records Relating to Registered Lobbying Communication #480176 Involving Paul Wagner, Interim Chief Technology Officer, Treasury Board Of Canada Secretariat (TBS) and IBM Canada Ltd. on July 06, 2020.” (Treasury Board Of Canada Secretariat (TBS), 2020), http://open.canada.ca/en/access-to-information. |