Blog

Posted on

“From Free to Fee”: How Course Hero Exploits Teachers and Learners

In 2006, Andrew Grauer, then a student at Cornell University, founded Course Hero, a platform marketed as a means for students to share class notes and other educational materials. Over the years, Course Hero has grown into a player in the EdTech industry, boasting an extensive library of digitized educational content. While the platform presents itself as a learning resource for students, its business model relies heavily on leveraging the unpaid labor of teachers and students from public education institutions.

Course Hero’s website greets visitors with a promise: “Welcome to Course Hero — Tap into the brainpower of your brightest peers and professors. Discover the exact content you need, in a few clicks. Course-specific help. Textbook explanations. 100,000+ educators.” This extensive library of educational content drives traffic to the platform and encourages more users to join, upload more content, and even pay for it. In 2021, Course Hero was a darling of investors, an EdTech unicorn valued at $3.6 billion.

While educational content—PPT lectures, videos, study guides, take-home exams—is core to Course Hero’s value, it doesn’t pay anyone to produce any of it. Instead, Course Hero’s content comes from students enrolled in colleges and universities, who collect educational materials created by their professors and peers and transfer it into its coffers. Course Hero’s resulting online “library” of educational materials more akin to a privatized vault of intellectual property (IP) from which it extracts value. While corporations like Walt Disney must pay a workforce to create the movies and TV series it owns and rents out for a price, Course Hero’s content trove is produced by professors and students for free, but then made accessible to other platform users for a fee. Course Hero’s Basic Membership does not grant everyone access to all the content available on its platform; to “unlock up to 30 documents,” we must pay $29.95 a month for a Premier Membership. Course Hero profits from the labor of teachers and learners it does not pay for, effectively transforming educational resources made in the public system into a source of private capital accumulation.

Course Hero’s business model is a variant of “crowdsourcing,” a term coined by Jeff Howe in his 2006 Wired article. Howe posits that leading Internet companies are devising ways to mobilize and exploit the time, effort, and talent of billions of people without ever paying them. They use crowdsourcing to transform the unpaid labor of individual Internet users into valuable production inputs, thereby reducing labor costs for established corporations and providing cost-efficient opportunities for tech start-ups that either cannot or simply refuse to pay their workforce. Unlike the longstanding profit-maximization practice in capitalism where corporations downsize their local workforce and outsource tasks to lower-paid workers employed by contractor firms around the world, crowdsourcing distributes tasks from paid workers to a crowd of Internet users who, wittingly or unwittingly, work for free. As former Wired editor Chris Anderson says: “Users happily do for free what companies would otherwise have to pay employees to do.” Crowdsourcing has been employed by numerous corporations to tackle a range of tasks at little to no cost, serving their bottom line. As Trebor Scholz argues in the book Uberworked and Underpaid, “The productive power of the network [of unwaged users] becomes a dynamo for profits.”

Course Hero’s crowdsourcing business model turns professors and students around the world, including me and evidently one or more of my former students, into unpaid laborers for its profit. For the past seven years, I have been teaching an upper-year course on Digital Media Technology, Politics, and Democracy at Ontario Tech University. Every year, I share the educational materials I create with my students on my course website, free of charge. I do not assert copyright over my lecture notes, nor have I tried to commodify videos of my online lectures. I have never given anyone permission to sell or sell access to these educational materials. However, this has not stopped Course Hero from doing so, without my knowledge, until recently. I discovered 14 of my PPT slide decks (each with about 40 slides) for the course’s weekly modules enclosed within the Course Hero platform. When I attempted to view my own PPT slide deck for Lecture 4, which covers different ways of conceptualizing the politics and power relations of Google, Apple, Facebook, Amazon, and Microsoft, the Course Hero platform demanded that I pay a fee: $3.99 USD per month or $47.88 USD per year to access my own lecture notes!

But it is not only lecture notes that Course Hero is cashing in on. A few months ago, I noticed that a digital copy of my 2013 book Global Entertainment Media: Between Cultural Imperialism and Cultural Globalization was on the Course Hero site, along with bunch of my journal articles and chapters. I went on Course Hero yesterday and tried to access an article I co-authored with my colleague Shahid Alvi back in 2014 in titled “Taylorizing Academia, Deskilling Professors and Automating Higher Education: The Recent Role of MOOCs.” I clicked on the article, and Course Hero swiftly delivered my eyes to another page, demanding I input my credit card information and pay a subscription fee to access my own article, which for the past decade, has been “open access” on the Journal for Critical Education Policy Studies (JCEPS) website, where it was first published. Evidently, Course Hero commodifies access to educational content it does not even own, and that is freely available elsewhere. If I want to get my content removed from Course Hero, I must submit a Digital Millennium Copyright Compliant Takedown Request. That is tedious, but I’ll do it.

While I am not generally litigious about copyright, the blatant exploitation by Course Hero compels me to reconsider. The platform’s profiteering from public sector-produced content, all under the guise of democratizing education, is an affront to the academic community. This model not only commodifies but also undermines the very ethos of educational sharing and collaboration.

EdTech companies like Course Hero monetize the products of academic labor without compensation or permission. These companies extract educational content created within the public sector, repackaging it for profit under the guise of democratizing education. This exploitation of publicly funded academic labor for private gain is a practice that must be challenged to preserve the integrity of education and protect the rights of educators and students alike.

Tanner Mirrlees is an Associate Professor in the Communication and Digital Media Studies program at Ontario Tech University. Mirrlees is a member of the Tech Lobby Project and author of Work in the Digital Media and Entertainment Industries: A Critical Introduction (Routledge, 2024) and co-author of EdTech Inc.: Selling, Automating and Globalizing Higher Education in the Digital Age (Routledge, 2019).

Posted on

Google’s Digital Policy Power: Public Policy Shaping and Private Policy Making

Google (Alphabet) is one of the world’s most powerful corporations. According to the Forbes 2000 list, at the end of 2023, Google was the 10th largest publicly traded corporation in the world, with sales of $317.9 billion, profits of $82.4 billion, assets of $407.4 billion and total market value of $2,177.7 billion. From 2001 to 2023, Google grew through mergers and acquisitions, taking over 257 companies. At present, its market share is multi-faceted and massive (91.62% of global search engine, 65.3% of browser, and 39% of global digital adspend) and its trove of IP is vast (111911 patents). At Google’s commanding heights are some of the wealthiest people in the world: Larry Page is the world’s twelfth richest person (net worth: $79.2 billion) and Sergey Brin is the 14th (net worth: $76 billion). CEO Sundar Pichai’s salary was $226 million in 2022. Google’s power is primarily based its ownership of capital, but its power extends to the politics of digital policy-making.

Around the world, governments possess the public authority to develop, preserve or transform the general policy and regulatory rules of society, and Google allocates a portion of its wealth to trying to influence these. For example, Google’s Government Affairs and Public Policy (GAPP) agency “interacts with government and elected officials to explain its products and advocate for policies” (Google 2024a). Mark Isakowitz (a former chief of staff to Senator Rob Portman) is Google’s head of GAPP in the North America. Karan Bhatia (a former senior official in the Bush Administration) steers GAPP’s global presence, interacting with states and policy-makers worldwide. Google is also a paid member of many business advocacy groups that play a role in shaping digital policy, such as the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, The Information Technology Industry Council (ITI), and, the Computer & Communications Industry Association (CCIA). Through its internal agencies and external trade associations, Google is a powerful policy actor with a stake in shaping the public governance of the communications and digital media industries, from telecommunications to broadcasting to the Internet and social media to Artificial Intelligence (AI). Google also lobbies against and for public legislation that impacts its business interests, and in 2022, it spent $13 million derailing anti-trust bills intended to disrupt its Internet oligopoly (Ratanpal and Sayki, 2023). Google’s political reach extends beyond the overt communications and digital policy domain: in 2023, it lobbied fifty two bills covering public policies pertaining defense, national security, trade, energy, infrastructure, labor, health, and more (OpenSecrets 2024).

Beyond its routine engagement with Congress, Google actively supports its favored political parties and candidates, aiming to influence election outcomes at federal, state, and municipal levels of government. Established in 2006, Google NetPAC is the corporation’s political action committee (PAC). “NetPAC allows Google employees, through their personal funds, to join together and support candidates who share Google’s positions on important issues” and the “NetPAC board bases its giving decisions on a number of factors, most importantly, the policy stances of individual candidates, committees, and organizations” that are important to Google (Google 2024a, para 5). In 2022, Google donated $8.78 million to Democrats, and $1.13 million to the Republicans, and as of February 2024, it had donated $2.55 million to the Blue and $494 thousand to the Red (OpenSecrets 2024). To gain tax breaks and win favor in civil society, Google’s charitable arm Google.org donates hundreds of millions of dollars each year to approximately 350 politically-engaged non-profit associations, independent third-party organizations and other charities (Google 2024b). Many of the beneficiaries of Google’s expenditures are local chambers of commerce and business advocates (e.g., Sunnyvale Chamber of Commerce, Missouri Chamber of Commerce, and US Black Chambers Inc.), but to build its corporate social responsibility (CSR) brand, Google also spends on social advocacy groups such as the Independent Women’s Forum, the National Black Justice Coalition, National Center for Transgender Equality, the LGBTQ Victory Institute, and the National Congress of American Indians (Google 2024b). Additionally, Google leverages the labor of knowledge workers to support its policy ideas by donating to think tanks, from the liberal Left (e.g., the Aspen Institute, the Brookings Institution) to conservative Right (e.g., American Enterprise Institute, The CATO Institute) (Google 2024b).

Through its internal policy agencies, external trade associations, lobbyists, NetPAC, affiliated civic groups and think-tanks, Google advances its broad policy interests to publics, legislators, parties, politicians, and even presidents to try to ensure public policy will sync with its preferences. While Google is not Government, its lobbying capacities for trying to shape policy—digital and otherwise—are vast. But is Google’s lobby a public policy-maker? 20th century political theorists of policy would likely say “no.” A liberal pluralist theorist might construe Google as one of many diverse interest groups vying for influence in a marketplace of policy ideas, competing to persuade officials that its ideas are most beneficial for society while being counter-balanced by other groups seeking to exert similar influence, and settling for whatever “compromise” that results. A power elite theorist would likely view Google, along with its Board of Directors and CEOs, as part of tiny group of corporate, military and political elites that possess the power to make the most consequential decisions about society’s overall policy framework, without the public’s participation or consent. In the Marxist state theory tradition, instrumentalists would see Google as capturing and using government policy as tool for sustaining its profits via the exploitation of workers; relative autonomists would concede that Google exercises influence within state agencies, but emphasize their partial autonomy to establish and enforce policies that while not always of direct benefit to Google, are integral to reproducing the capitalist system.  Liberal pluralist policy analysts, sociologists of power elites, and Marxist political economists would likely concur that while Google is a policy influencer, it is not a public policy maker. Government, not Google, is the ultimate authoritative policy-maker, possessing the mandate to safeguard the public interest through its policy and regulatory agencies and practices.

However, the idea that government is the sole policy-maker overlooks a social fact of today’s communications and digital media environment: corporations like Google have become significant private digital policy-makers in their own right. In addition to shaping public policy through its lobby, Google actively designs and enforces its own private policies upon people through the digital services it owns—Google Search Engine, YouTube, Gmail, Google Maps, Google Drive, Google Docs, Google Photos, Android, and the Google Play Store. Google’s digital policy is not publicly made, but serves as a de facto private means of governing the conduct of the more than five billion people logged into and using its apps and sites, platforms, and devices to search, navigate, email, schedule, collaborate, analyze, store, share, video call, stream, blog, listen, view, read, advertise, translate, and learn each day. All corporations that own digital services impose rules upon the agency and communications of the people who use them and Google is no exception (Gillespie 2018). Consider Google’s “Terms of Service,” which positions its service users as subjects of its authority (Google, 2024d): “these Terms of Service help define Google’s relationship with you as you interact with our services” and outline “What we expect from you”, including “certain rules for using our services.” Google declares that “Understanding these terms is important because, by using our services, you’re agreeing to these terms.” Google’s Terms dictate the relationship between the corporation and its service users, stipulates users must conduct themselves in compliance with the law, conveys prescriptive communicative norms and codes, and outlines what it may do to users, and how it uses their content and their data for its own ends (Google, 2024d). Google’s Terms have a global reach, stretching beyond its headquarters in Mountain View California across the territorial borders and communication and digital media systems of numerous countries, including Canada. They exemplify how alongside the state’s public digital policy and enforcement exists capital’s private digital policy-making and regulation.

In sum, Google (and perhaps all big tech corporations) are both public policy-shapers and private policy-makers. As a corporation, Google is primarily focused on pursuing profit maximization and paying dividends to its shareholders within the economic sphere, but its public and private digital policies and practices extend far beyond digital markets, infiltrating and impacting all spheres of social life, including the state. Google’s public and private roles in digital policy-shaping and policy-making underscore the importance of broadening digital policy studies in Canada. This shift moves beyond a focus on policies solely created by public departments of the Canadian federal government to include those developed within the private boardrooms of major tech corporations like Google. It also highlights the public interest value of The Tech Lobby Project (Thetechlobby.ca), which examines the private power and influence of big tech companies like Google on Canadian public communication policy frameworks and across online platforms.

References

Gillespie, Tarleton (2018). Custodians of the Internet: platforms, content moderation and the hidden decisions that shape social media. New Haven, CT: Yale University Press.

Google (2024a). GAPP Transparency Page. URL: https://www.google.com/publicpolicy/transparency/ [February 6, 2024].

Google (2024b). Trade Associations and Membership Organizations. URL: https://kstatic.googleusercontent.com/files/ddfc97f01d89290e37bc52abdd9704bc3314ec5598bebe9676c64cd7a5ba1a719acaf069c1f9c218986e507f58bf3b50c750119c778cb4e88e99f3fb4dd904b4 [February 6, 2024].

Google (2024c). Our Mission. URL: https://www.google.org/ [February 6, 2024].

Google (2024d). Google Privacy & Terms. URL: https://policies.google.com/?hl=en [February 6, 2024].

Open Secrets (2024). Alphabet. URL: https://www.opensecrets.org/orgs/alphabet-inc/lobbying?id=d000067823 [February 6, 2024].

Ratanpal, Harshawn, and Sayki, Inci (2023, January 30). Google continued to ramp up federal lobbying spending before DOJ filed second antitrust lawsuit. OpenSecrets. URL: https://www.opensecrets.org/news/2023/01/google-continued-to-ramp-up-federal-lobbying-spending-before-doj-filed-second-antitrust-lawsuit/ [January 30, 2023].

YouTube (2024). Rules and Policies: Community Guidelines. URL: https://www.youtube.com/intl/ALL_ca/howyoutubeworks/policies/community-guidelines/ [February 6, 2024].

Tanner Mirrlees is an Associate Professor in the Communication and Digital Media Studies program at Ontario Tech University. Mirrlees is a member of the Tech Lobby Project and author of Work in the Digital Media and Entertainment Industries: A Critical Introduction (Routledge, 2024) and co-author of EdTech Inc.: Selling, Automating and Globalizing Higher Education in the Digital Age (Routledge, 2019).

Posted on

ATI Requests Received in April

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

[Online News Act] Please stop helping us: the newspaper bailout is a comprehensive policy failure (The Globe and Mail)

Received in April 2024

Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission ATI Re-Requests

Document LinkReference
The document includes an email exchange about digital wireless coverage in Canada and a report by the Boston Consulting Group. The BCG report covers International Comparisons of Broadband Competition, Pricing, Performance and Regulatory Models is also attached.       Government of Canada, Access to Information Request A-2019-00033 Copy of A-2019-00033: All Records Pertaining to the December 2019 Report Regarding How a Decrease in Wireless Revenues Would Hurt the Deployment of 5G in Canada Re-Requested under Access to Information Request (Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission, 2019), http://open.canada.ca/en/access-to-information.
The document includes several emails between Public Service and CRTC regarding the 9-1-1 Manager for Emergency Service Working Group. The CRTC held a meeting with Apple and deduced that a mobile provider is not needed but mobile signal is required to dial 9-1-1. Apple Canada Inc. Senior representative has also emailed Étienne Robelin (CRTC) to request a meeting and in the subject, they’ve outlined their offerings: hybridized emergency location estimation technology, and the location transport technologies to transmit information to Public Safety Answering Points (PSAPs) in Canada through a Text-to-9-1-1 and Wireless Alerting.  Government of Canada, Access to Information Request A-2019-00036 Copy of A-2019-00036: Any and All Communications, Including Emails, Letters, Briefing Notes, Meeting Minutes, Regarding and Including a Meeting(s) with Apple Inc. and the CRTC in September 2019. Re-Requested under Access to Information Request (Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission, 2019), http://open.canada.ca/en/access-to-information.
The document includes an attachment from Rogers detailing how to keep Canadians connected during the pandemic.  Government of Canada, Access to Information Request A-2019-00051 Copy of A-2019-00051: All Records between CRTC and Bell Canada, Rogers Communications, Telus, Shaw Communications, and TekSavvyand Related to COVID-19 Virus from March 1, 2020 to Present. Re-Requested under Access to Information Request, 2019, http://open.canada.ca/en/access-to-information.
The document  internal communications and analyses related to the Broadcasting and Telecommunications Legislative Review (BTLR) report within the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) following the release of the BTLR final report, from January 29, 2020, to February 12, 2020. These documents include email exchanges between key staff and messages from CRTC Commissioner Ian Scott.  The internal discussions and email exchanges indicate that CRTC staff, including analysts and senior officials, are evaluating the BTLR’s recommendations to understand their implications for the CRTC’s operations and regulatory framework. The CRTC is analyzing these recommendations to determine how they align with current laws and regulations, and to prepare the organization for potential legislative changes. Topics range from telecommunications to broadcasting, broadband, BTLR recommendations relating to Indigenous peoples, monitoring investor calls, and surveying of public engagement on social media.      Government of Canada, Access to Information Request A-2019-00048 Copy of A-2019-00048: Documents Regarding the Final Report by the Broadcasting and Telecommunications Legislative Review Panel Released on January 29, 2020. Re-Requested under Access to Information Request, 2019, http://open.canada.ca/en/access-to-information.
Posted on

ATI Requests Received in March

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] William Watson: Stop subsidizing what people don’t watch (Financial Post)

[LOBBYING] New Brunswick blasted for ‘weak’ lobbyist registry (Telegraph Journal)

Received in March 2024

Canadian Heritage ATI Requests

Document LinkReference
The document contains calendar details for a meeting between Canadian Heritage and Netflix on January 21, 2021.Government of Canada, Access to Information Request Submitted to Canadian Heritage for Records Related to a “Records Relating to Registered Lobbying Communication #494526 Involving Drew Olsen, Director, Canadian Heritage (PCH), Thomas Owen Ripley, Director General, Canadian Heritage (PCH), and Netflix Inc. on January 21, 2021.” (Canadian Heritage, 2021), http://open.canada.ca/en/access-to-information.
The document contains calendar details for a meeting between Canadian Heritage and Netflix on January 21, 2021.Government of Canada, Access to Information Request A-2023-00411 Submitted to Canadian Heritage for Records Related to a “Records Relating to Registered Lobbying Communication #496741 Involving Drew Olsen, Director, Canadian Heritage (PCH), Thomas Owen Ripley, Director General, Canadian Heritage (PCH), and Netflix Inc. on January 21, 2021.” (Canadian Heritage, 2021), http://open.canada.ca/en/access-to-information.

Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission ATI Re-Requests 

Document LinkReference
The document includes an application filed by Bell Mobility to review and vary application pursuant to sections 52 and 62 of the Telecommunications Act (the Act), Part 1 of the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Rules of Practices and Procedure (the Rules), and TIB 2011-2014. The document also includes email exchanges between CRTC staff regarding Bell Canada’s market numbers as well as complaints to the Chairman Ian Scott regarding service rates, telemarketing etc.  Government of Canada, Access to Information Request A-2021-00044 “Copy of A-2021-00044: All Electronic Communications Made by CRTC Chair Ian Scott and CRTC Staff, between Dec. 1, 2019 and Dec. 31, 2019 Inclusive, as Well as All Phone Call Records and Call Logs Made by or to CRTC Chair Ian Scott for the Same Period. As Pertains to Communications Regarding: Bell, Rogers, Telus, Shaw and Cogeco. 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 internal report conducted by CRTC on the mobile market including the average price of mobile services and household expenditures. There is also a global issue brief on Broadcasting Services in a Digital Environment. Following suit, report on Misleading or Aggressive Communications Retail Sales Practices and more.  Government of Canada, Access to Information Request A-2019-00021 “Copy of A-2019-00021: Documents Regarding: I) Lowering and Comparing Cell Phone Prices/Practices; Ii) Regulating Internet Rates, Iii) Regulating Amazon, Facebook and Google; Iv) Adding New Consumer Protection Codes in Broadcasting and Telecommunications; v) the Impact and Review of Media/Communications Concentration and; vi) Impact of Foreign Broadcast Services. Jan 1, 2018 to Oct 3, 2019.” Re-Requested under Access to Information Request (Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission, n.d.), http://open.canada.ca/en/access-to-information.

Posted on

ATI Requests Received in February

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] 2023 Tech Lobby Annual Report (The Tech Lobby Project)

[LOBBYING] Poilievre denounces lobbyists, but still has meetings with them; Had 26 chats in past 12 months; Singh had 29 (National Post)

[LOBBYING] If Pierre Poilievre really hates lobbyists now, maybe he should talk to Justin Trudeau (The Toronto Star)

[LOBBYING] ‘Useless and overpaid’ lobbyists sure are keeping Pierre Poilievre’s calendar busy (The Globe and Mail)

[LOBBYING] Why aren’t pension funds investing more in Canada? Maybe Canada isn’t investible enough; In its 2024 budget, the federal government said it would look at ways of incentivizing pension funds to invest more domestically, after lobbying by business leaders (The Globe and Mail)

Received in February 2024

Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada ATI Request

Document LinkReference
The document includes a memo for Paul Thompson’s meeting with Google, Npower and Summa Strategies. The objective of the meeting is to learn about Google’s forthcoming, multi-years skills investments in Canada. In addition, to better understand Google and NPower’s engagement in Canada’s talent development ecosystem and the potential for partnership. There are additional emails including more information   regarding their offerings.  Government of Canada, Access to Information Request A-2022-00991 Submitted to Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada (ISED) for Records Related to a “All Records Relating to Registered Lobbying Communication #507585 Involving Paul Thompson, Associate Deputy Minister, Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada (ISED) and Google Canada Corporation on May 18, 2021.” (Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada (ISED), 2021), http://open.canada.ca/en/access-to-information.

Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission ATI Re-Requests 

Document LinkReference
The document includes a calendar note for a meeting with incoming CEO of Bell on December 19, 2019.  Government of Canada, Access to Information Request A-2021-00056 I Would like Metadata Information for CRTC Chair Ian Scott’s Calendar Entry for His Dec. 19, 2019 Meeting with Bell, Supplied by the CRTC in a Previous ATIP A-2021-00018, Showing When the Calendar Entry Was Created. I’m Looking for the Information Underlying the Calendar Entry in Question, Specifically the Date and Time That the Entry Was Created 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 several emails between CRTC staff regarding an issue item however, the details of these meetings and emails have been redacted.  Government of Canada, Access to Information Request A-2020-00096 Copy of A-2020-00096: Records Related to Correspondance between Representatives from the CRTC and Representatives from Verizon, T-Mobile and AT&T between January 1, 2021 and March 25, 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 CRTC staff and a SpaceX representative regarding a recent presentation on the Starlink project in Canada.    Government of Canada, Access to Information Request A-2021-00008 A-2021-00008: All Records Related to Communications with Representatives from Any of Telesat, SES, and SpaceX in March 2021 and April 2021. Federal Lobby Records Show Ian Scott Communicated with Telesat on March 29, 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 numerous calendar events regarding phone calls and meetings between Peter Johnson (Shaw Communications) and Ian Scott (CRTC) from 2017-2020. The events include the following: a meeting with Jim Patrick, Peter Johnson with Ian Scott and the meeting is categorized as stakeholders ext on October 05, 2017. A scheduled call with Peter Johnson and Ian Scott on January 29, 2018. An addition meeting with Peter Johnson and Ian Scott on May 09, 2018. An additional call between Peter Johnson (Shaw) and Ian Scott on July 03, 2018. Meet and greet with Shaw and the CRTC on January 31, 2019. Meeting with Peter Johnson (Shaw Communications), Paul McAleese (Freedom Mobile) and Marie-Soleil and Marie-Claude Morin (CRTC).   A call with Brad Shaw and Ian Scott on August 05, 2019. The records include a call on September 01, 2020, between Peter Johnson and Ian Scott, another call on April 14, 2020, and July 29, 2020.  Government of Canada, Access to Information Request A-2021-00019 Copy of A-2021-00019: Information (Venue, Participants, Agendas, Minutes) on Shaw Meetings and Communications with CRTC Chair Ian Scott That Took Place on Eleven Specified Dates between October 5, 2017 and March 14, 2021. Re-Requested under Access to Information Request (Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission, 2021), http://open.canada.ca/en/access-to-information.
This document includes several scheduling details for the DM Cyber Committee on April 8, 2019. In addition, several calendar events of other meetings and appointments from 2019-2021.        Government of Canada, Access to Information Request A-2021-00019 Copy of A-2021-00079: Records of CRTC Chair Ian Scott’s Calendar/Agenda Showing All Meetings, Appointments, Etc., Which Were Disclosed in File A-2021-00055, from the Beginning of His Term in September 2017 to the Current Date June 3, 2022. 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 the name of individuals who participated in the CRTC’s Interchange Canada Program for each fiscal year.  Government of Canada, Access to Information Request A-2021-00030 Copy of A-2021-00030: Names of Individuals Who Participated in the CRTC’s Interchange Canada Program for Each CRTC Fiscal Year Beginning in Fiscal Year 2006-2007 to Year 2020-2021 and the Positions(s) They Held at the CRTC, along with the Positions They Held Immediately before Holding Those Position(s) and the Name of Their Employer. 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 a memorandum to the Chairperson and CEO regarding the CRTC Anti-Racism and Antidiscrimination Report and Implementation. The document is seeking approval for the proposed ARAD Action Plan Implementation Strategy.    Government of Canada, Access to Information Request A-2022-00008 Copy of A-2022-00008: Document #859595 Entitled CRTC Anti-Racism and Anti-Discrimination Report and Implementation. Re-Requested under Access to Information Request (Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission, 2022), http://open.canada.ca/en/access-to-information.
The document includes a calendar note for a meeting scheduled between Ian Scott (CRTC) and Eros Spadotto and Johanne Senecal from Telus.      Government of Canada, Access to Information Request A-2021-00020 Copy of A-2021-00020: Information (Venue, Participants, Agendas, Minutes) Regarding Telus Communications and Meetings with CRTC Chair Ian Scott Held on April 27, 2018. 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 a calendar note for Ian Scott’s meeting with George Cope & Mirko Bibic from Bell Canada    Government of Canada, Access to Information Request A-2021-00022 Copy of A-2021-00022: Information (Venue, Participants, Agendas, Minutes) Regarding BCE/Bell Canada Communications and Meetings with CRTC Chair Ian Scott Held on Three Specified Dates between November 30, 2017 and December 19, 2019. 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 a memo to CRTC staff regarding the proposed legislation Bill C-10 to modernize the Broadcasting Act. The email details a set of next steps for the department: creating nine working groups regarding data collection, ownership/registration/transactions, contribution framework, updated Cancon certification and regulatory support, regulatory obligations/regulatory obligations from old to new system, operational change management/business transformation, AMPs and compliance activities, inclusion and communicating changes.      Government of Canada, Access to Information Request A-2021-00073 Copy of A-2021-00073: On May 18, 2022 the CRTC Appeared before the House of Commons Standing Committee on Canadian Heritage, and the CRTC’s Chairperson Said, “I Have Had More than 100 Staff Working in a Series of Working Groups for Well over a Year to Prepare”, for the Implementation of Bill C-11. Please Provide a) the Precise Number of Working Groups; b) a List of the Working Groups Showing for Each Group, the Main Topic or Subject of Their Work; c) for Each Working Group, a List of the Studies That the CRTC’s Staff Has Itself Undertaken or Commissioned from Outside Parties with Respect to Its Work; d) the Date by Which Each Working Group Is Supposed to Complete Its Work; and e) the Name of the CRTC Commissioner, If Any, to Which Each Working Group Reports. 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 a memo to CRTC staff regarding the proposed legislation Bill C-10 to modernize the Broadcasting Act. The email details a set of next steps for the department: creating nine working groups regarding data collection, ownership/registration/transactions, contribution framework, updated Cancon certification and regulatory support, regulatory obligations/regulatory obligations from old to new system, operational change management/business transformation, AMPs and compliance activities, inclusion and communicating changes.    Government of Canada, Access to Information Request A-2021-00074 Copy of A-2021-00074: On May 18, 2022 the CRTC’s Chairperson Stated to the House of Commons Standing Committee on Canadian Heritage That More than One Hundred CRTC Staff Were Assigned to Working Groups to Prepare for the Enactment of Bill C-11 and Possibly Its Predecessor, Bill C-10. Please Provide a Copy of Any Documents That a) Assigned a Mandate or Mission to These Working Groups; and/or b) Provided Directions or Any Guidance to These Working Groups. 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 internal communications regarding the CRTC’s new approach to ensure a greater recognition of Indigenous Peoples within the Broadcasting and Telecommunications Legislative Review. The final report includes 97 recommendations to modernize Canada’s communication and to ensure better representation for Indigenous Peoples and languages within this framework. The document also includes a set of tweets and Facebook posts referencing the BTLR and the CRTC totaling 130 comments and more.  Government of Canada, Access to Information Request A-2019-00048 Copy of A-2019-00048: Documents Regarding the Final Report by the Broadcasting and Telecommunications Legislative Review Panel Released on January 29, 2020. Re-Requested under Access to Information Request, 2019, http://open.canada.ca/en/access-to-information.
The document includes an email exchange about digital wireless coverage in Canada and the report by the Boston Consulting Group. In addition, the BCG report is enclosed titled: International Comparisons of Broadband Competition, Pricing, Performance and Regulatory Models.  Government of Canada, Access to Information Request A-2019-00033 Copy of A-2019-00033: All Records Pertaining to the December 2019 Report Regarding How a Decrease in Wireless Revenues Would Hurt the Deployment of 5G in Canada Re-Requested under Access to Information Request (Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission, 2019), http://open.canada.ca/en/access-to-information.
The document includes several emails between Public Service and CRTC regarding the 9-1-1 Manager for Emergency Service Working Group. The CRTC held a meeting with Apple and deduced that a mobile provider is not needed but mobile signal is required to dial 9-1-1. Apple Canada Inc. senior representative has also emailed Étienne Robelin (CRTC) to request a meeting and in the subject, they’ve outlined their offerings: hybridized emergency location estimation technology, and the location transport technologies that can be used to transmit information to Public Safety Answering Points (PSAPs) in Canada and also to Text-to-9-1-1 and Wireless Alerting.  Government of Canada, Access to Information Request A-2019-00036 Copy of A-2019-00036: Any and All Communications, Including Emails, Letters, Briefing Notes, Meeting Minutes, Regarding and Including a Meeting(s) with Apple Inc. and the CRTC in September 2019. Re-Requested under Access to Information Request (Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission, 2019), http://open.canada.ca/en/access-to-information.
The document includes an attachment from Rogers detailing how to keep Canadians connected during the pandemic.    Government of Canada, Access to Information Request A-2019-00051 Copy of A-2019-00051: All Records between CRTC and Bell Canada, Rogers Communications, Telus, Shaw Communications, and TekSavvyand Related to COVID-19 Virus from March 1, 2020 to Present. Re-Requested under Access to Information Request, 2019, http://open.canada.ca/en/access-to-information.
The document includes a report for the Canadian Radio-Television and Telecommunications Commission regarding an application under the Telecommunication Act by the Public Interest Advocacy Centre. The application is regarding the pandemic contact tracing at the application and network level.    Government of Canada, Access to Information Request A-2020-00008 From March 1, 2020 to Present (May 26, 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 Including Options for Consumer Consent. 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 emails, memos, and meeting notes from different telecom companies such as Bell Canada and Teksavvy on their procedures during the COVID-19 pandemic.  Government of Canada, Access to Information Request A-2020-00001 Copy of A-2020-00001: All Communications Including but Not Limited to Emails and Meeting Agendas and Meeting Notes, with Canadian Telecom Companies or Their Representatives Regarding COVID-19 or the Effects of COVID-19, from Jan. 1, 2020 to April 15, 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 emails that discuss the overall impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on Shaw, Rogers, and Bell’s business. The CRTC was interested in understanding how the pandemic has impacted the broadcasting industry.  Government of Canada, Access to Information Request A-2020-00006 Copy of A-2020-00006: All Documents between CRTC and Bell Canada, Rogers Communications, Telus, Shaw Communications, and TekSavvy Regarding the COVID-19 Virus between March 16 2020 and May 6, 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 outlines that there is a meeting between Mr. Ian Scott with a member from Netflix. The details of the meeting have been redacted.Government of Canada, Access to Information Request A-2020-00014 Copy of A-2020-00014: All Documents for Meetings Involving Netflix Lobbyists and Various CRTC Chairpersons and Commissioners: Date+D12 Range from 2011 to 2020 Re-Requested under Access to Information Request (Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission, 2020), http://open.canada.ca/en/access-to-information.
Posted on

2023 TechLobby Annual Report

Read the full report [PDF]

The TechLobby Annual Report for 2023 focuses on the federal lobbying of Google, Meta/Facebook, Netflix, Apple, Amazon, Disney, and Microsoft in 2023.

The interactive graphics for this report are available at the bottom of this page. By clicking on the buttons at the bottom of each graphic, you can enlarge, download, or share the graphic. You can also click on the graphics and legends to explore and even download the data.

It finds that, in 2023:

  • Much tech lobbying focussed on the reform of the Broadcasting Act, the Online News Act, privacy reform, and AI regulation. Some tech companies, including Google and Amazon, cover a very broad range of issues and federal departments, while others (Apple, Facebook, Netflix, and Disney) conducted more focussed lobbying.
  • Tech lobbying had some significant impacts:
    • While video streaming companies like Google (YouTube) and Netflix did not prevent the passage of the Online Streaming Act, the applicability of broadcasting regulation to video streaming, or the discoverability provisions as they may have hoped, their arguments certainly found resonance with a number of parliamentarians and created friction for the bill as it passed through the parliamentary process.  
    • Google’s lobbying efforts relating to the Online News Act did not stop the act’s passage but did succeed in having the amount of money the corporation would have to pay to compensate Canadian media for news circulated on their platforms capped. 
  • The number of registered tech lobbying communications were slightly down in 2023 compared to 2022. This may represent a return to normal after a very busy year in 2022.  However, Microsoft’s lobbying rose, possibly to address the Consumer Privacy Protection Act, the Personal Information and Data Protection Tribunal Act, which continued its way through parliament.
  • Registered tech lobbying has grown dramatically over the longer term, but this is part of a trend that we see across all companies; lobbying registrations have grown, in general, on a similar scale.  
  • Not all lobbying is registered; tech companies exert other forms of influence on government outside formal registered lobbying. Tech companies fund advocacy groups and events, such as the “AWS Public Sector Symposium Ottawa,” which took place in September 2023. 
  • While lobbying of members of parliament and senators usually outpaces lobbying of government departments, 2023 is an anomaly: tech lobbying of Canadian Heritage outpaced even its lobbying of the House of Commons in 2023.  We postulate that this is due in part to Google’s lobbying for concessions on the regulations for the Online News Act.
  • We see a longer-term shift from consultant to in-house lobbyists among tech companies, which have also made moves to establish offices in Canada.  We also see that tech companies rely on in-house lobbyists more than is typical of lobbying overall.  While consultant lobbyists are often portrayed as offering a rolodex of connections with government and parliamentary officials, in-house lobbyists are often assumed to specialize in providing specialized expertise in specific policy areas. While tech companies’ reliance on in-house lobbyists may therefore suggest a greater importance placed on expertise, personal connections and expertise often go hand-in-hand.

Tech lobbying should properly be viewed in the context of the lobbying of traditional media companies and broader coalitions of advocacy organizations and companies.  While this report focuses on the lobbying of ‘tech companies,’ it is important to note that traditional media and communications companies lobbied extensively in many of the same areas that tech companies did, as did advocacy groups and coalitions and associations representing groups of companies. We intend to focus, in future annual reports, on the relative lobbying between these groups of companies as well as the lobbying of other organizations in the same areas.

Interactive Graphics

Figure 1: The Subjects Lobbied by Tech Companies in 2023

Figure 2: Number of lobbying communications: 2023 vs 2022

Figure 3: Lobbying communications by company: 2021-2023

Figure 4: Tech lobbying vs all lobbying

Figure 5: Top government targets of tech lobbying in 2023 and 2022

Figure 6: Tech lobbying of the executive and legislative branches of government

Figure 7: In house vs consultant tech lobbying

TechLobby Annual Report 2023Download
Posted on

ATI Requests Received in January

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 LinkReference
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.
Posted on

ATI Requests Received in December

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] The Hill Times’ Top 100 Lobbyists in 2024: looming federal election and lingering virtual comms contribute to dynamic advocacy (The Hill Times)

[LOBBYING] NDP requests investigation of relationship between lobby firm and Poilievre’s adviser (The Globe and Mail)

[LOBBYING] Pierre Poilievre slams ‘useless’ corporate lobbyists in Ottawa who should expect no favours from him (National Post)

Received in December 2023

Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission ATI Re-Requests  

Document LinkReference
The document includes an exchange between TELUS and Pierre-Louis Pregent (CRTC) regarding the new CMF guidelines and Telus’ desire to discuss community programming opportunities. In addition, some discussing surrounding Telecom and Broadcasting analysis and their performance during the COVID-19 pandemic.  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) regarding pandemic contact-tracing by major Canadian telecommunications service providers and the request to launch a public proceeding. 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, of complaints 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.

Canadian Heritage ATI Re-Requests

Document LinkReference  
The document includes an email exchange between Canadian Heritage employees regarding Canadian Heritage’s position on cultural diversity, early recommendations, and a proposal for measuring cultural diversity in the broadcasting system. The release includes a deck outlining cultural diversity efforts such as a working group, broadcasting policy, current context, and policy issues.  Government of Canada, Access to Information Request A-2020-000280 From January 1, 2019 to June 30, 2019, All Records That Mention “Netflix” (Disclosure for the Month of June). Re-Requested under Access to Information Request (Canadian Heritage, 2019), http://open.canada.ca/en/access-to-information.
The document includes an information package for the CAVO information session: how to be Star CPTC Application June 2019. In addition, there are detailed meeting notes and minutes from the Banff World Media Festival. Furthermore, several articles about the APFC, Netflix, Telefilm Canada, regarding the Canada Media Fund launch of a professional development program in Canada.  Government of Canada, Access to Information Request A-2020-000280 From January 1, 2019 to June 30, 2019, All Records That Mention “Netflix” (Disclosure for the Month of June). Re-Requested under Access to Information Request (Canadian Heritage, n.d.), http://open.canada.ca/en/access-to-information.
The document includes an instant messenger conversation between Pietro Cimino and a government official about the EU’s approach to media regulation. The chat includes several comments on how to refine their deck for the Canada-EU Digital Dialogue presentation. The package also includes an information note for the Honourable Steven Guilbeault regarding the competition bureau investigations into anti-competitive behaviour on the part of digital platforms.  Government of Canada, Access to Information Request A-2020-00281_pt1.Pdf From October 1, 2019 to October 19, 2020, All Records Regarding Canadian Heritage’s Plans to Impose Fees to Social Media. Re-Requested under Access to Information Request (Canadian Heritage, 2020), http://open.canada.ca/en/access-to-information.
The document includes handwritten notes from a call with Kathy regarding EU dialogues for the Oct/Nov delegation in Belgium 2019.  Government of Canada, Access to Information Request A-2020-00281 From October 1, 2019 to October 19, 2020, All Records Regarding Canadian Heritage’s Plans to Impose Fees to Social Media. Re-Requested under Access to Information Request (Canadian Heritage, 2020), http://open.canada.ca/en/access-to-information.
The document includes several discussion papers and reports. For instance, there is a discussion paper by Taylor Owen titled Six Observations on Securing the Integrity of the Digital Public Sphere. The paper was prepared for the Department of Canadian Heritage and the Canadian Commission for UNESCO.  In addition, there is another report by Philip M. Napoli titled Diversity of Content in the Digital Age: Discoverability of Diverse Local, Regional and National Content. Furthermore, a discussion paper by Dr. Fenwick McKelvey and Robert Hunt titled Algorithmic Accountability and Digital Content Discovery and two more additional papers.  Government of Canada, Access to Information Request A-2020-00294 All Records Regarding the Research Project “5 Thought Leadership Papers on the Subject of Diversity of Content in the Online World”. Re-Requested under Access to Information Request (Canadian Heritage, 2019), http://open.canada.ca/en/access-to-information.
The document includes several emails from Kevin Chan (Global Director and Head of Public Policy at Meta) regarding trademark policy and intentions on briefing the music team at Canadian Heritage before their upcoming launch of a music event. In the second half of the report, there is an email from Joanne Pitkin from Meta regarding their 2019 approach to electoral integrity. Attached is their report titled:  Facebook Canada Public Policy and Community Engagement Annual Report. In addition, there are notes from a roundtable working group that discussed diversity of content online.  Government of Canada, Access to Information Request A-2020-00297 From January 1, 2020 to October 29, 2020, All Correspondence and Meeting Notes Concerning Facebook or Google. Re-Requested under Access to Information Request (Canadian Heritage, 2019), http://open.canada.ca/en/access-to-information.
The document includes an email exchange between Canadian Heritage employees regarding the Competition Bureau and anti-competitive behaviour and the digital economy. In addition, there file includes the draft and final copy of the information note for the Honourable Steven Guilbeault regarding anti-competitive inquiry of digital platforms. There is also an additional information note titled competition bureau investigations into anti-competitive behaviour on the part of digital platforms.  Government of Canada, Access to Information Request A-2020-00297 From January 1, 2020 to October 29, 2020, All Correspondence and Meeting Notes Concerning Facebook or Google. Re-Requested under Access to Information Request (Canadian Heritage, 2020), http://open.canada.ca/en/access-to-information.
Document includes a table outlining the number of ATI requests received from April 1, 2020 – November 10, 2020. According to the table, Canadian Heritage has received 295 requests during this period, 186 were responded to within 30 days, 186 were delayed related to covid, and 1 required an extension.  Government of Canada, Access to Information Request A-2020-00298 Briefing Note to the Deputy Minister CH2019-01568: “Briefing Books for Transition”. Re-Requested under Access to Information Request (Canadian Heritage, 2020), http://open.canada.ca/en/access-to-information.
The document includes a memorandum to Hélène Laurendeau requiring her decision to join a video conference with Mr. Roberto Viola of the Directorate-General for Communications Networks, Content and Technology of the European Union. It is recommended that Hélène join the conference with the ISED.  There is also a summary outlining the progress on the Canada-EU digital dialogues and upcoming commitments.  Government of Canada, Access to Information Request A-2020-00307 Briefing Note to the Deputy Minister CH2020-00271: “Video Conference with Mr. Roberto Viola and Deputy Minister Simon Kennedy to Plan 2020 Canada-EU Digital Dialogues”. Re-Requested under Access to Information Request (Canadian Heritage, 2020), http://open.canada.ca/en/access-to-information.
The document is a memorandum to the Honourable Steven Guilbeault regarding a request to attend the Building Today for a Resilient Tomorrow (BTRT) conference. The conference is hosted by the Department of Canadian Heritage’s Digital Citizen Initiative. The file also includes a progress update detailing the projects approved under the Digital Citizen Initiative.  Steven Guilbeault signed on March 02, 2020, that he would not be able to attend the event.  Government of Canada, Access to Information Request A-2020-00310 Briefing Note to the Minister CH2019-01535: “Approval of New Digital Citizen Contributions Program Guidelines”. Re-Requested under Access to Information Request (Canadian Heritage, 2020), http://open.canada.ca/en/access-to-information.
Posted on

ATI Requests Received in November

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 November 2023

Google Canada Corporation

Document LinkReference
The document includes an email exchange between Colin McKay (head of public policy and government relations, Google Canada) and Simon Kennedy (Deputy Minister) for ISED regarding Karan Bhatia (Google VP and Global Head of Policy). Colin has informed Simon that Karan will be visiting Ottawa on May 5th and has asked if Simon would be able to meet with Google’s VP. Simon agreed to the meeting, scheduled for May 5th.  Government of Canada, Access to Information Request A-2022-00977 Submitted to Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada (ISED) for Records Related to a ’ All Records Relating to Registered Lobbying Communication #534872 Involving Simon Kennedy, Deputy Minister, Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada (ISED) and Google Canada Corporation on May 05, 2022. ’ (Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada (ISED), 2022), http://open.canada.ca/en/access-to-information.

Elections Canada ATI Re-Requests Received

Document LinkReference
The document details an official acknowledgment of a name change for a political party. The name of the party is the ‘People’s Party of Canada’ and in short form the name is ‘People’s Party’. The document includes additional information regarding the party name registration.  Government of Canada, Access to Information Request A-2020-00077 Any Correspondence between the People’s Party of Canada and Elections Canada Officials Regarding the Party’s Privacy Policy. Timeframe: Dec. 13, 2018 to Present (March 5, 2021). Please Include Emails as Well as Letters. Re-Requested under Access to Information Request (Elections Canada, 2021), http://open.canada.ca/en/access-to-information.  
Document includes a report on top stories (2020-02-03) for Elections Canada. Articles included under the following themes: political entities, government, electoral security, data privacy, provincial written by various Canadian news outlets. In addition, the document also includes a social media monitoring report for the period from December 19, 2019 – January 9, 2020. The social media report includes social media insights: views, comments, published perspectives on several posts. In addition, Elections Canada’s social media accounts volume and key topics. Email exchange regarding a complaint lodged against Rebel Media and Levant. There were several complaints regarding the article “The Rebel to Rabbie Review: Ezra Levant vs. Commissioner of Canada Elections”  Government of Canada, Access to Information Request A-2019-00087 Provide Copies of All Documents, Including Emails, Texts or Instant Messages, Memos, Briefing Notes, Media Lines, Reports, Notes, Etc., Making Any Mention of Ezra Levant and/or The Rebel/Rebel News, since August 1, 2019. Please Include Both Elections Canada and Commissioner of Canada Elections Records. Information Requested Would Be Related to This Article: Https://Nationalpost.Com/Opinion/Rex-Murphy-Ezra-Levant-Wrote-a-Book-Critical-of-the-Liberals-Now-Hes-Being-Investigated. Exclude Complaints from the Public. Don’t Have to Include Documents or Notes Stemming from a Complaint from the Public Such as, but Not Limited to, System Notes Indicating That a Complaint Has Been Received, Assessed, Closed, Etc. or Responses Sent to Complainant. Re-Requested under Access to Information Request (Elections Canada, 2019), http://open.canada.ca/en/access-to-information.
The document includes a social media analysis of posts and opinions on election issues. Ex, many concerns around the Dominion Voting System, even though Election Canada has clarified that they are not used here to count ballots many people believe that since the company is Canadian that it is being used. This is a contentious issue because many question the validity of the last election (2020). Additional social media analysis on the performance of Election Canada’s posts, articles on the Muslim Vote and Dominion Voting System.  Government of Canada, Access to Information Request A-2020-00041 Please Provide a Copy of Any Emails and/or Briefing Notes to and from the Office of the Chief Electoral Officer Regarding Posts on Elections Canada’s Social Media Channels (i.e. Twitter Account) about the 2020 U.S. Election. Please Also Include Records Regarding Posts Responding to Posts from Other Users, Such as, but Not Limited to, Comments, Questions or Potential Misinformation. Timeframe Is Oct. 15, 2020 to November 17, 2020. Re-Requested under Access to Information Request (Elections Canada, n.d.), http://open.canada.ca/en/access-to-information.  
The document includes a letter to the Prime Minister regarding the policy for the protection of personal information that is coming into force on April 1, 2019. More specifically, the Elections Modernization Act (Bill C-76).  Government of Canada, Access to Information Request A- 2020-00071 Any Correspondence between the Liberal Party of Canada and Elections Canada Officials Regarding the Party’s Privacy Policy. Timeframe: December 13, 2018, to Present. Re-Requested under Access to Information Request (Elections Canada, 2019), http://open.canada.ca/en/access-to-information.
Document includes a letter to Party Leader Jagmeet Singh regarding the policy for the protection of personal information that is coming into force on April 1, 2019. More specifically, the Elections Modernization Act (Bill C-76).  Government of Canada, Access to Information Request A-2020-00072 Any Correspondence between the New Democratic Party of Canada and Elections Canada Officials Regarding the Party’s Privacy Policy. Timeframe: December 13, 2018, to Present. Re-Requested under Access to Information Request (Elections Canada, 2019), http://open.canada.ca/en/access-to-information.
Document includes a letter to the Honourable Andrew Scheer (Party Leader of the Conservative Party of Canada) regarding the policy for the protection of personal information that is coming into force on April 1, 2019. More specifically, the Elections Modernization Act (Bill C-76).  Government of Canada, Access to Information Request A-2020-00073 Any Correspondence between the Conservative Party of Canada and Elections Canada Officials Regarding the Party’s Privacy Policy. Timeframe: December. 13, 2018, to Present. Updated Privacy Policy from the Conservative Party. Re-Requested under Access to Information Request (Elections Canada, 2019), http://open.canada.ca/en/access-to-information.
Document includes a letter to Party Leader Yves-Francois Blanchet (Bloc Quebecois) regarding the policy for the protection of personal information that is coming into force on April 1, 2019. More specifically, the Elections Modernization Act (Bill C-76).  Government of Canada, Access to Information Request A-2020-00075 Any Correspondence between the Bloc Québécois and Elections Canada Officials Regarding the Party’s Privacy Policy. Timeframe: Dec. 13, 2018 to Present (March 5, 2021). Please Include Emails as Well as Letters. Re-Requested under Access to Information Request (Elections Canada, 2019), http://open.canada.ca/en/access-to-information.
The document includes a set of complaints that were sent to Elections Canada regarding immigration, privacy, spam calls and elections. Several of the complaints are regarding constituents’ private information used for canvasing (doorknocking, calls for support etc.) and whether the release of the contact list(s) breaks privacy law.  Government of Canada, Access to Information Request A-2020-00076 Any Records, Including but Not Limited to Meeting Minutes, Briefing Notes, Memos and Correspondence, from Jan 1, 2019, to Oct. 21, 2019, Whose Content Is Related to Privacy Concerns and Complaints against Federal Political Parties. Re-Requested under Access to Information Request (Elections Canada, n.d.), http://open.canada.ca/en/access-to-information.
The file includes preparatory documents for a Technical Meeting regarding data connection, reporting on election night, IT renewal and a testing schedule. In addition, a list of candidates that were given to the media consortium and the draft agenda. In addition, several report details in preparation for the election including zones, ED Code, OLE Count and more.  Government of Canada, Access to Information Request A-2021-00016 Provide All Records Concerning the Provision of Election Data to Agents of the Canadian Press (CP), the Media Consortium, Dave Matthews or “Matthews Communications.” Please Include All Agreements, Contracts and Communications to and from Any of the Parties Regarding the Subject of the Provision of Election Result Data. Time Frame from 2011 to September 27, 2021. Re-Requested under Access to Information Request (Elections Canada, 2021), http://open.canada.ca/en/access-to-information.
The document includes a briefing note to the CEO from Anne Lawson (Deputy Chief Electoral Officer, Regulatory Affairs) regarding the Electoral Integrity Framework. They were seeking approval for the Electoral Integrity Framework. Stephane Perrault signed and approved the framework  Government of Canada, Access to Information Request A-2022-00003 A Copy of the Office of the Chief Electoral Officer’s Briefing Note Reference #2022-103853 (Electoral Integrity Framework). Re-Requested under Access to Information Request (Elections Canada, 2022), http://open.canada.ca/en/access-to-information.
The document includes a briefing note to the CEO from Serge Caron regarding the Enterprise Data Service Project. The project needs the CEO to approve an initial funding request. They’ve proposed a new data structure to manage Elections Canada’s data more efficiently. The projected cost of the project is $1,062-000 over two years. Stephane Perrault approved the funding request. There is an additional briefing note to the CEO from Serge Caron regarding the Digital Transformation Temporary Additional Budget Request for the Digital Enterprise Transformation Branch (DETB). They estimate the need for additional funding amounting to $1,413,000 to complete the project. This request was also approved by Stephane Perrault.  Government of Canada, Access to Information Request A-2021-00037 Please Provide the Following Briefing Notes from December 2021: * 2021-103552 — Digital Transformation Temporary Additional Budget Request * 2021-103484 — Cloud-Based Desktop Productivity Suite * 2021-103485 — Enterprise Data Service Project Re-Requested under Access to Information Request (Elections Canada, 2021), http://open.canada.ca/en/access-to-information.  
The document includes a briefing note from Anne Lawson (Deputy Chief Electoral Officer, Regulatory Affairs) to the CEO regarding the Electoral Integrity Framework. Lawson is seeking approval for the Electoral Integrity Framework. Stephane Perrault signed and approved the framework.  Government of Canada, Access to Information Request A-2022-00007 Access to the Following Document: The Principles of Electoral Integrity, Reference Number 2022-103853. Re-Requested under Access to Information Request (Elections Canada, 2021), http://open.canada.ca/en/access-to-information.

Office of the Privacy Commissioner ATI Re-Requests Received

Document LinkReference
The document includes a letter from Capital One Canada regarding their privacy breach. This letter was sent out in response to complaints filed under PIPEDA. The Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada has encouraged individuals to contact Capital One Privacy Officer first before contacting their office to pursue a complaint.  Government of Canada, Access to Information Request A-2019-00243 All Documentation on Data Breaches or Privacy Breaches, That Have Led or Not Led to an Investigation, by Capital One and GitHub from January 1, 2010 to the Current Date. Please Limit This Request to Closed Investigation Files Only and Active/Closed Breaches Re-Requested under Access to Information Request (Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada, 2020), http://open.canada.ca/en/access-to-information.
The document includes a list consisting of all the names of federal departments and agencies that have had security breaches reported to the Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada  Government of Canada, Access to Information Request A-2020-00034 List with All the Names of Federal Departments and Agencies That Have Had Security Breaches Reported to the Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada Re-Requested under Access to Information Request (Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada, 2020), http://open.canada.ca/en/access-to-information.  
The document includes a copy of the Privacy Breach Report from the Royal Canadian Mounted Police on July 2020. The breach that occurred was executed by a hacker group called Distributed Denial of Secrets who published over 260 gigabytes of law enforcement data.  The type of personal information collected included: name, contact information, financial, medical, social insurance numbers, and personal banking information. This security breach impacted 123 individuals at the time of the report.  Government of Canada, Access to Information Request A-2020-00048 A Copy of the Report Submitted by the RCMP and Reported by CBC as Providing Information about Canadians Affected by the Data Leak Called BlueLeaks and Subsequent Communication between OPCC and the RCMP Related to This Report, up until Sept. 28, 2020. Re-Requested under Access to Information Request (Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada, 2020), http://open.canada.ca/en/access-to-information.
The document includes a list of complaints sent to PIPEDA from November 5, 2019 – October 15, 2020. Many of the descriptions are partially redacted.  Government of Canada, Access to Information Request A-2020-00049 List of All PIPEDA Complaints Received from November 5, 2019 to October 15, 2020 Re-Requested under Access to Information Request (Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada, 2020), http://open.canada.ca/en/access-to-information.  
The document includes a contract from the Office of the Privacy Commissioner to Gross Gilroy Inc for an estimated commissioned cost of $66,812.81. There is also an additional package on the Summative Evaluation for the Office of the Privacy Commissioner’s (OPC) work to advance its Strategic Privacy Priorities. In addition, there is a staffing contract for an HR consultant from Altis.  Government of Canada, Access to Information Request A-2020-00055 All ProServices Contracts Issued in the National Capital Region for the Months of July 2020, August 2020, & September 2020 Re-Requested under Access to Information Request (Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada, 2020), http://open.canada.ca/en/access-to-information.  
The document consists of a memorandum to Steve Harroun, Chief Compliance & Enforcement Officer, Canada Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC), Brent Homan, Deputy Commissioner Compliance, Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada (OPC) and Josephine Palumbo, Deputy Commissioner Cartels and Deceptive Marketing Practices, Competition Bureau (CV) from CASL Compliance and Enforcement Working Group (CEWG). The memo is regarding a proposed collaborative compliance action by the CRTC, OPC and the CB before the end of the 2019-2020 fiscal year. In addition, a letter from the OPC office to 10 webcam manufacturers in Canada and the United States, highlighting concerns related to internet connected cameras. The OPC urges them to ensure appropriate security measures to protect customers’ privacy. Lastly, a notice from the CB to video streaming services encouraging them to review their terms and conditions regarding marketing practices.  Government of Canada, Access to Information Request A-2020-00062 I Request the Names of the 36 Mobile App Industry Companies That Received Warning Letters from the CRTC, OPC and Competition Bureau, Also Any Memos or Reports That Provided the Foundation for the Letters and Related Investigations. Re-Requested under Access to Information Request (Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada, 2019), http://open.canada.ca/en/access-to-information.
Office of the Privacy Commissioner produced a contract for O/A LRO Staffing.  Government of Canada, Access to Information Request A-2020-00067 All Temporary Help Services (THS) Supply Arrangement (SA) and Standing Offer (SO) Callups Issued in the National Capital Region for the Months October 2020, November 2020, & December 2020. Re-Requested under Access to Information Request (Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada, 2020), http://open.canada.ca/en/access-to-information.
The document includes a list of all data breaches reported to the Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada by federal institutions: Feb. 15, 2019, to May 31, 2019 & Feb. 6, 2021 to Mar. 5, 2021  Government of Canada, Access to Information Request A-2020-00093 A List of All Data Breaches Reported to the Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada by Federal Institutions: Feb. 15, 2019 to May 31, 2019 & Feb. 6, 2021 to Mar. 5, 2021 Re-Requested under Access to Information Request (Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada, 2020), http://open.canada.ca/en/access-to-information.
The document includes a briefing note for the Sidewalk Labs Advisory Consultation. In addition, an email exchange between members of the OPC regarding Sidewalk Lab’s Designated Internal Collaboration and the technology, waterfront timelines, budget, recommendations and more.  Government of Canada, Access to Information Request A-2021-00002 Records Pertaining to Sidewalk Labs LLC (Dec. 21, 2018 to June 1, 2020) Re-Requested under Access to Information Request (Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada, 2020), http://open.canada.ca/en/access-to-information.
The document includes a memo written to the requester and they’ve found some information from Ci2 regarding the complaint against Bell Canada. The complaint stipulates that Bell Canada conducted unauthorized credit checks for the past 5 years. The office does not have records relating to “ongoing monitoring and reporting between OPC and Bell Canada that relate to unauthorized credit checks for the past 10 years”.  Government of Canada, Access to Information Request A-2021-00008 Information Regarding Number Complaints against Bell Canada for the Last 5 Years (2016-2021) Regarding Unauthorized Credit Checks Re-Requested under Access to Information Request (Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada, 2021), http://open.canada.ca/en/access-to-information.  
According to the OPC, they received 8 complaints however, the document does not include any of the records relating to the unauthorized credit checks conducted by Bell Canada.  Government of Canada, Access to Information Request A-2021-00020 Number of Complaints against Bell Canada for 2011-2015 Regarding Unauthorized Credit Checks Re-Requested under Access to Information Request (Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada, 2021), http://open.canada.ca/en/access-to-information.
The document includes a briefing note about the Digital Economic Partnership Agreement that came into force in January 2021 for New Zealand and Singapore and is expected to be ratified by Chile in 2021. The trade agreement is unique because it focuses solely on digital trade issues.  Government of Canada, Access to Information Request A-2021-00024 Provide a Copy of Briefing Note CTS-095831 Digital Economic Partnership Agreement Re-Requested under Access to Information Request (Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada, 2021), http://open.canada.ca/en/access-to-information.
The document includes a letter from the Access to Information and Privacy Coordinator to the Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada regarding a Privacy Impact Assessment Report of the Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems for the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP). The document also includes the full report.  Government of Canada, Access to Information Request A-2021-00026 All Privacy Impact Assessments (PIAs) within Which Mention Is Made of Wide-Area Persistent Surveillance (WAPS) or Wide-Area Motion Imagery (WAMI). WAPS and WAMI Re-Requested under Access to Information Request (Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada, 2019), http://open.canada.ca/en/access-to-information.
The document includes a spreadsheet of all breach reports from federal institutions that were attributed to malware, ransomware, social engineering, password attacks and other cyber threats.Government of Canada, Access to Information Request A-2021-00036 For the Time Frame of Jan 1, 2017 to Present [July 20,. 2021] Provide a Spreadsheet of All Breach Reports from Federal Institutions That Were Attributed to Malware, Ransomware, Social Engineering, Password Attacks and Other Cyber Threats. Re-Requested under Access to Information Request (Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada, 2021), http://open.canada.ca/en/access-to-information.
The document includes a briefing note regarding this year’s Global Privacy Assembly (GPA) Conference. The agenda includes keynote speeches on human intervention in mass data process and vaccine passports, panel discussion on data protection and human rights in the context of mass surveillance by facial recognition.  Government of Canada, Access to Information Request A-2021-00076 Copy of BN CST-096013 Preparatory Briefing for the 43rd Global Privacy Assembly Closed Session Re-Requested under Access to Information Request (Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada, 2021), http://open.canada.ca/en/access-to-information
Posted on

ATI Requests Received in October

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 October 2023

Canadian Heritage ATI Re-Requests

Document LinkReference
The document includes a memorandum for Hélène Laurendeau regarding a ‘Year 2 Survey’: Generic Terms and Conditions. The Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat (TBS) has requested that departments complete an online survey regarding departmental uptake of the Generic Terms and Conditions (Ts&Cs). The document includes Laurendeau’s survey response as well as a draft of the PCH Microgrant Report.  Government of Canada, Access to Information Request A-2019-00421 Briefing Note to the Deputy Minister CH2019-02184: “Generic Terms and Conditions: Year 2 Survey”. Re-Requested under Access to Information Request (Canadian Heritage, 2019), http://open.canada.ca/en/access-to-information.
The document includes a letter to the Deputy Minister Flack and Secretary Wallace regarding Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) at Canadian Heritage. As stated in the summary, “The Nov 7, 2019, the Strategic Planning Directorate made a presentation to the Executive Committee about the integration of the SDG in PCH’s Departmental Result Framework (DRF). This approach was endorsed by the Committee”. Attached is the proposed letter to Graham Flack, Deputy Minister of Employment and Social Development Canada and to Peter Wallace, Secretary of the Treasury Board of Canada.  Government of Canada, Access to Information Request A-2019-00424 Briefing Note to the Deputy Minister CH2019-02109: “Letters to Deputy Minister Flack and Secretary Wallace Regarding Sustainable Development Goals at Canadian Heritage”. Re-Requested under Access to Information Request (Canadian Heritage, 2019), http://open.canada.ca/en/access-to-information.
The document includes a memorandum to Hélène Laurendeau requiring a decision on a ‘response letter to Mr. Roberto Viola following up on the joint workplan with the European Union Digital Dialogues’. The document includes a letter to DF Viola providing an update on the progress of their joint workplan and workshop on disinformation and diversity of content from their meeting in Gatineau on November 28 and 29, 2019. In addition, summary information from the copyright workshop in Brussels that took place from October 16-18, 2019.  Government of Canada, Access to Information Request A-2019-00425 Briefing Note to the Deputy Minister CH2019-02085: “Response Letter to Mr. Roberto Viola Following up on the Joint Workplan with the European Union (Digital Dialogues)”. Re-Requested under Access to Information Request (Canadian Heritage, 2019), http://open.canada.ca/en/access-to-information.
Document includes a memorandum for Hélène Laurendeau requiring her response to the Survey of Chief Financial Officers for the 2020 Federal Budget. Memorandum is written in French. There is a letter to Laurendeau from Peter Wallace (Secretary of the Treasury Board) and Ian Shugart (Clerk of the Privy Council).  The purpose of the survey is to gain departmental input to improve the accuracy of the expense forecast in the upcoming budget.  Government of Canada, Access to Information Request A-2019-00426 Briefing Note to Deputy Minister CH2019-02297: “Chief Financial Officer Survey for the 2020 Federal Budget”. Re-Requested under Access to Information Request (Canadian Heritage, 2019), http://open.canada.ca/en/access-to-information.
The document includes a memorandum for the Honourable Steven Guilbeault regarding the 2020 Creative Industries Trade Mission to Europe. A decision is needed to proceed with the announcement and planning of the Creative Industries Trade Mission to Europe in May 2020. The memo includes the hospitality cost, background information and the objective of the mission.  Government of Canada, Access to Information Request A-2019-00427 Briefing Note to the Minister CH2019-02197: “2020 Creative Industries Trade Mission to Europe”. Re-Requested under Access to Information Request (Canadian Heritage, 2019), http://open.canada.ca/en/access-to-information.
The document includes a memorandum for the Honorable Mélanie Joly regarding the Supplementary Expenditure Budget for 2019-2020.Documents are written in French and include summaries, budgets and credits.  Government of Canada, Access to Information Request A-2019-00429 Briefing Note to the Minister CH2019-02177: “2019-2020 Supplementary Estimates (A)”. Re-Requested under Access to Information Request (Canadian Heritage, 2019), http://open.canada.ca/en/access-to-information.
Document includes an information note for the Honourable Bardish Chagger regarding 2019-20 Supplementary Estimates (A). The document also includes Canadian Heritage’s itemized budgetary expenditures.   Government of Canada, Access to Information Request A-2019-00430 Briefing Note to the Minister CH2019-02175: “2019-2020 Supplementary Estimates (A)”. Re-Requested under Access to Information Request (Canadian Heritage, 2019), http://open.canada.ca/en/access-to-information.
The document includes a briefing note on the Forum of the UNESCO Ministers of Culture. The forum took place on November 19, 2019, in Paris, on the sidelines of its 4th General Conference. None of the ministers were able to participate because the swearing-in of the new Council of Ministers was taking place on November 20, 2019. The document however includes some additional information on the event, considerations and the current situation. The document was produced in French.  Government of Canada, Access to Information Request A-2019-00431 Briefing Note to the Minister CH2019-02199: “Forum of the UNESCO Ministers of Culture”. Re-Requested under Access to Information Request (Canadian Heritage, n.d.), http://open.canada.ca/en/access-to-information.
The document includes letters to the Honourable Mélanie Joy from the Honourable Steven Guilbeault. The letter is regarding Prime Minister Trudeau’s intention to give the Minister of Economic Development and Official Languages full power over the administration of the Department’s Official Languages program. Some of these ministerial duties were transferred to the Honourable Melanie Joy by degree and Honourable Guilbeault is offering support in her responsibilities relating to official languages. The document is written in French.  Government of Canada, Access to Information Request A-2019-00440 Briefing Note to the Minister CH2019-02386: “Letter to the Honourable Mélanie Joly – Spending Authority”. Re-Requested under Access to Information Request (Canadian Heritage, 2019), http://open.canada.ca/en/access-to-information.
The document includes a letter to the attention of Hélène Laurendeau requiring the approval of the analysis of impact on activities. They have provided the Business Impact Analysis (AIA) of Canadian Heritage to be done by the Departmental Security Directorate and health and safety at work.  Government of Canada, Access to Information Request A-2019-00441 Briefing Note to Deputy Minister CH2019-02228: “Approval of the Business Impact Analysis”. Re-Requested under Access to Information Request (Canadian Heritage, 2019), http://open.canada.ca/en/access-to-information.
The document includes a note for Hélène Laurendeau regarding a directive for security sweeps. The document includes context, consideration, communications and recommendations. In response, Helene approves the recommendation.Government of Canada, Access to Information Request A-2019-00443 Briefing Note to the Deputy Minister CH2019-01838: “Approval of the Canadian Heritage Safety Sweep Directive”. Re-Requested under Access to Information Request (Canadian Heritage, 2019), http://open.canada.ca/en/access-to-information.
The document includes a qualitative analysis that was shared regarding the final report of the Broadcasting and Telecommunications Legislative Review Panel. In the report, it includes some information about the landscape and a review of the public’s response. In addition, there are some email exchanges around this communication.  Government of Canada, Access to Information Request A-2019-00451 From January 1, 2020 to March 3, 2020, All Records Regarding the Broadcast and Telecommunications Legislative Review Panel and Panel Chair Janet Yale Related to Media Requests, Media Lines, Public Appearances, Public Commentary, Letters to the Editor, and/or Media Submissions. Re-Requested under Access to Information Request (Canadian Heritage, 2020), http://open.canada.ca/en/access-to-information.
The document includes the communication report on the ‘Final Report of Broadcasting and Telecommunications Legislative Review Panel’. The report will be presented to Minister Guilbeault and Minister Bains on January 30th, 2020. In the communication report, they’ve recommended changes to the Telecommunications Act, the Radiocommunications Act, and the Broadcasting Act.  Government of Canada, Access to Information Request A-2019-00451 From January 1, 2020 to March 3, 2020, All Records Regarding the Broadcast and Telecommunications Legislative Review Panel and Panel Chair Janet Yale Related to Media Requests, Media Lines, Public Appearances, Public Commentary, Letters to the Editor, and/or Media Submissions. Re-Requested under Access to Information Request (Canadian Heritage, 2020), http://open.canada.ca/en/access-to-information.  
The document includes an inventory of planned research from 2018-2019. The spreadsheet includes the branch, project title, project description, project type, cycle, notes, cost and update.  Government of Canada, Access to Information Request A-2019-00457 From January 1, 2018 to March 11, 2020, a List of All Studies, Research, Analyses and Evaluations Commissioned Internally or Externally by Canadian Heritage. Re-Requested under Access to Information Request (Canadian Heritage, 2019), http://open.canada.ca/en/access-to-information.  
The document includes a list from March 1, 2015, to April 13, 2020, of all grants and contributions awards and consulting contracts of $1,000 or more approved by Canadian Heritage (part 1).  Government of Canada, Access to Information Request A-2020-00001 From March 1, 2015 to April 13, 2020, the List of All Grants and Contributions Awards and Consulting Contracts of $1,000 or More Approved by Canadian Heritage. Re-Requested under Access to Information Request (Canadian Heritage, 2020), http://open.canada.ca/en/access-to-information.
The document includes a list from March 1, 2015, to April 13, 2020, of all grants and contributions awards and consulting contracts of $1,000 or more approved by Canadian Heritage (part 2).  Government of Canada, Access to Information Request A-2020-00001 From March 1, 2015 to April 13, 2020, the List of All Grants and Contributions Awards and Consulting Contracts of $1,000 or More Approved by Canadian Heritage. Re-Requested under Access to Information Request (Canadian Heritage, 2020), http://open.canada.ca/en/access-to-information.
The document includes a list from March 1, 2015, to April 13, 2020, of all grants and contributions awards and consulting contracts of $1,000 or more approved by Canadian Heritage (part 3).  Government of Canada, Access to Information Request A-2020-00001 From March 1, 2015 to April 13, 2020, the List of All Grants and Contributions Awards and Consulting Contracts of $1,000 or More Approved by Canadian Heritage. Re-Requested under Access to Information Request (Canadian Heritage, 2020), http://open.canada.ca/en/access-to-information.
The document includes an application form for the Local Journalism Initiatives from News Media Canada.  Government of Canada, Access to Information Request A-2020-00005 Copies of All Successful Applications Submitted for Funding from the Local Journalism Initiative, from the Beginning of the Application Period to April 21, 2020. Re-Requested under Access to Information Request (Canadian Heritage, 2020), http://open.canada.ca/en/access-to-information.
The document consists of a strategic brief for a meeting with Joe Natale, President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Rogers and Rick Brace, President, Rogers Media. The main topic of discussion for the meeting is the broadcasting and telecommunication legislative review that is currently under way (Broadcasting Act). In addition, they plan to discuss the implementation of changes to the Canadian Media Fund (CMF) that were announced last year; and ongoing processes at the CRTC. The document includes messages, speaking points, background information on Rogers and more.   Government of Canada, Access to Information Request A-2020-00008 “All Records Pertaining to the Following Meetings of Rogers Communications Inc.: On May 1, 2019, with Jeremy Gauthier, Policy Advisor Canadian Heritage (PCH). On May 22, 2019, with Patricia Beh, Director of Policy Canadian Heritage (PCH). On June 14, 2019, with Faizel Gulamhussein, Senior Policy Advisor Canadian Heritage (PCH). On August 1, 2019, with Patricia Beh, Acting Chief of Staff Canadian Heritage (PCH). On August 12, 2019, with Patricia Beh, Acting Chief of Staff Canadian Heritage (PCH) and Faizel Gulamhussein, Senior Policy Advisor Canadian Heritage (PCH). On September 27, 2019, with Hélène Laurendeau, Deputy Minister Canadian Heritage (PCH). On February 27, 2020, with Mathieu Bouchard, Chief of Staff Canadian Heritage (PCH), Rebecca Caldwell, Director of Policy Canadian Heritage (PCH), Steven Guilbeault, Minister Canadian Heritage (PCH) and Helene Laurendeau, Deputy Minister Canadian Heritage (PCH).” Re-Requested under Access to Information Request (Canadian Heritage, 2020), http://open.canada.ca/en/access-to-information.
The document includes a research paper written by Paul J. Heald titled ‘The Impact of Implementing a 25-Year Reversion/Termination Right in Canada’. The study was developed to answer in part INDU’s recommendation (8) pertaining to the amending of the Copyright Act, discussed in an email exchange between Canadian Heritage staff.  Government of Canada, Access to Information Request A-2020-00012 From February 5, 2020 to May 6, 2020, All Records Regarding Revisionary Interest and/or Termination Rights and/or the Reversion of Rights to Creators/Artists or Their Heirs after a Certain Time Period. Re-Requested under Access to Information Request (Canadian Heritage, 2020), http://open.canada.ca/en/access-to-information.
The document includes a memo for Hélène Laurendeau regarding a survey on the effects of foreign production and production services for the Canadian film and television production industry. The document also includes some background information, infographics based on the survey results, and a final presentation.  Government of Canada, Access to Information Request Briefing Note to the Deputy Minister CH2020-00159: “Survey on the Impact of Foreign Production and Production Services on the Canadian Film and Television Production Industry”. Re-Requested under Access to Information Request (Canadian Heritage, 2020), http://open.canada.ca/en/access-to-information.
The document is a processing report for the treatment of the Carillon Flag for the Seminary Museum of Quebec.  Government of Canada, Access to Information Request A-2020-00023 From July 1, 2019 to July 31, 2019, Communications Sent to the Deputy Minister’s Office Regarding the Concept of Reversion in Copyright Law. Re-Requested under Access to Information Request (Canadian Heritage, 2020), http://open.canada.ca/en/access-to-information.