Category: Monthly Post

By: Brad McNeil, PhD Student (McMaster University)

IBM Canada Ltd.: November and December Lobbying Summaries

Dave McCann, President of IBM Canada, continued his October talks with Ministers of Innovation, Science and Economic Development (ISED). McCan met ISED once in November and again in December, 2022 to discuss ‘Science and Technology’. IBM’s lobbying information profile on the registry of lobbyist website notes that the company is broadly interested in “Communicating with government officials, in general, about regional economic development. The goal of these communications is to advocate for robust regional economic development strategies.”  On December 9, 2022, IBM announced the creation of a client innovation centre in Fredericton, New Brunswick that will create 250 full time jobs in the area related to “application developers, technical testers, business analysts, customer experience workers, design consultants, and workers in digital transformation.” The Client Innovation Centre was backed by the provincial government. Opportunities New Brunswick is investing $4.8 million to help IBM create these jobs. Arlene Dunn, minister responsible for Opportunities in New Brunswick noted “Many of the world’s most successful companies have discovered our province because of our winning combination of people, diversity, agility, infrastructure and innovation. Through investments like this one, we are building upon New Brunswick’s reputation as an IT hub.”

IBM Government Contracts Signed During November and December 2022

Although IBM did not register many lobbying communications from November to December 2022, IBM was busy signing government contracts during these months. From November to December 2021, IBM signed 28 government contracts, each valued over $10,000. The chart below displays all contracts valued over $10,000 signed in the months of November and December 2022. This list was complied from content available on the Search Government Contracts over $10,000 site.  

By: Brad McNeil, PhD Student (McMaster University)

Amazon Canada Fulfillment Services, ULC: November Lobbying Summary

This monthly lobbying report follows Amazon’s lobbying activity through the months of November and December 2022. This blog post is structured to present Amazon’s November 2022 lobbying communications and activities first, followed by Amazon’s December 2022 lobbying communications and activities. Lastly, this blog post provides an overview of Amazon’s government contracts valued over $10,000 that were signed in the months of November and December 2022.

Amazon Canada Fulfillment Services is a subsidiary of Amazon.com, Amazon.com Sales and Amazon Foreign Holdings. Amazon Canada Fulfillment Services involve the sorting and distribution of customer orders in Canada. In the last month, AFS has lobbied Members of the Senate, Members of Parliament, Policy Advisors of the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO), and Policy Advisors of Canadian Heritage (PCH) on the subject of “Broadcasting” for a total of six registered lobbying communications. Sumegha Kuma, Director of Canadian Customer Fulfillment Operations for Amazon Canada, has also registered two communications reports on the topic of “Economic Development” with Members of Parliament. Amazon Canada Fulfilment’s lobbying registration notes that it aims to “Work with government to facilitate the process of selling goods and services online and delivering them to consumers” and “to promote and support Canada’s digital economy, including ensuring the availability of a high-skilled tech workforce.”  

While Amazon Canada Fulfillment Services’ lobbying profile does not explain what it specifically lobbies about related to broadcasting, this lobbying activity is likely related to Bill C-11 as Amazon hosts its own streaming service Amazon Prime. As noted in a previous monthly update, As of 2021, Amazon Prime Video has a viewership of 12.2 million in Canada.

Amazon Corporate LLC: November Lobbying Summary

Amazon Corporate LLC is a subsidiary of Amazon which filled two lobbying communication reports on the subject matters of “Broadcasting,” and “Arts and Culture” for November 2022. A lobbying consultant for Amazon Corporate LLC met with Senator Julie Miville-Dechêne, and on another occasion with a Policy Advisor at the Prime Minister’s Office.  

Amazon Web Services: November Lobbying Summary

Amazon Web Services (AWS) is a subsidiary of Amazon that “provides on-demand cloud computing services for individuals, companies and governments on a metred, pay-as-you-go basis”.  AWS registered 17 communications reports in the month of November. Seven of these communications were on the topic of “Industry” with Members of Parliament and a Vice Chief of Defence Staff National Defence (DND). Another seven of the communications were about “Science and Technology” with Policy Advisors in various government departments such as Science and Economic Development Canada (ISED), Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat (TBS), Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) and Public Services and Procurement Canada (PSPC). Amazon Web Services also met with Members of Parliament to discuss “Privacy and Access to Information”. One communication report states that consultant Steve Van Groningen met a Policy Advisor of the Prime Minister’s Office to discuss “Broadcasting,” and “Arts and Culture.”

On December 14, 2022 Nicole Foster, AWS Inc’s Director of Global Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning, and Canada Public Policy, served as a witness during a meeting of the Standing Committee on Access to Information, Privacy and Ethics (ETHI).  The meeting was about “Privacy Concerns in Relation to the ArriveCAN Application.

Introduced in the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Federal Government’s ArriveCAN app served as a vaccination verification and COVID-19 screening tool for travellers crossing borders. Use of ArriveCAN became mandatory for travellers in February 2021. The app collects personal data identification data like names, telephone number, address, and also vaccination status, which is then used to help public health officials enforce the government’s quarantine rules.

Privacy concerns and controversies have loomed over the ArriveCAN app. In July 2022, the government acknowledged a glitch in the app which mistakenly sent more than 10,000 vaccinated travellers a quarantine requirement notice.  It took the government 12 days to notify travellers of the error . There were also reports that the app was tracking location data without user’s knowledge.

Concerns were raised about how long the information is stored and how it is shared between different government agencies. In June 2020, federal Conservatives pushed for a formal review the potential misuse of data collected and stored by ArriveCAN. In response, the Privacy Commissioner confirmed that he had no concerns related to the ArriveCAN app, but launched a new investigation a month later when the Office of the Privacy Commissioner received a privacy complaint related to ArriveCAN.

Because the Canadian Government contracted the work on developing the app with tech companies, the technology behind the app is considered proprietary information. This has frustrated the government’s attempts to learn about how the software works. When the MP’s requested information about the contractors used to develop the app, the files provided by Canada Border Services Agency were heavily redacted.

In front of the ETHI standing committee, Foster answered questions related to AWS’s involvement in the development of ArriveCAN and the app’s privacy concerns. Foster could only give the ETHI a partial understanding of the services and contract totals that Amazon was involved in for the ArriveCAN project. When asked whether Foster was satisfied with the privacy framework of the ArriveCAN app, Foster noted that decisions related to the governance of privacy are decisions for the customer – in this case the government, to make. “Our job, really, is to provide the tools to enable the customer to govern data in the way they want to govern data.” When asked how much Amazon was paid for their contracted involvement in the ArriveCAN app, Foster noted, “In the case of all our customers, we protect customer confidentiality, so we would never proactively disclose that information without customer consent. It would really be up to our customers to choose to share that information.”  Such partial responses evoked the frustration from members of the ETHI Committee who questioned whether Foster was the proper Amazon representative to speak on front of the Standing Committee. These frustrations related to privacy concerns and information about government contracts may signal what Amazon has lobbied about in lobbying communications.

Amazon Web Services: December Lobbying Summary

AWS registered three communication reports for the month of December 2022 about ‘Science and Technology’, ‘Industry’, and ‘Economic Development.

Amazon’s Government Contracts Signed During November and December 2022

Amazon Web services signed three government contracts, each valued over $10,000 between the months on November and December 2022. This list was complied from content available on the Search Government Contracts over $10,000 site.  

By: Brad McNeil, PhD Student (McMaster University)

Netflix Services Canada ULC: November Lobbying Summary

Netflix Services Canada ULC is a subsidiary of Netflix Inc. Reg Thompson, President of Netflix Services Canada ULC, registered four communications with Directors of Policy of the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) and Canadian Heritage (PCH) on the subject matter of “Arts and Culture, Broadcasting.”

Scott’s comments signal a subtle change in tone, suggesting a lighter approach to the regulation of Canadian content on streaming service operating in Canada than originally thought. Initially, in June of 2022, Scott claimed that the regulator may require platforms to “manipulate [the algorithm] to produce particular outcomes.”  This, he seemed to clarify in November, may not be the case. Rather, Scott argues that the CRTC is interested primarily in an outcome where Canadian content is being promoted by streaming platforms, regulators are less interested in the specific tools they apply to generate that outcome.

On December 9, 2022, legal scholar Michael Geist suggested that part of the problem with Bill C-11 is what counts as Canadian content that streaming platforms are being asked to promote. Geist notes that although a program can be produced, filmed, and about Canada, if Netflix owns the intellectual property that program will not count as Canadian content. Because the criteria for CanCon remains somewhat unclear for platforms and their users, Geist notes that the CRTC has forced Netflix into a uncomfortable regulatory position.  

Geist’s article suggests that Netflix’s meetings with the CRTC and Canadian Heritage are about what should count as CanCon, and continuing discussions about whether, or if at all, user generated content would be regulated under Bill C-11. Netflix has significant interest in these communications because, as Geist notes: “Netflix pumps billions of dollars into film and television production and content licensing in Canada; it spends more on dramatic film and television production in Canada than any Canadian broadcaster.”  

The following table charts Netflix’s logged communication reports for the month of November 2022. Netflix logged no communication reports with the Registry of Lobbyist for the month of December 2022. The information provided in this chart come from Netflix Canada’s profile on the Registry of Lobbyist website.

By: Brad McNeil, PhD Student (McMaster University)

Google Canada Corporation: November 2022 Lobbying Summary

Google spent November 2022 lobbying about Bill C-11, the online streaming bill, and Bill C-18, the online news bill. Bill C-11 would give the Canadian Government powers to regulate digital streaming platforms and would have these platforms promote Canadian content online. Bill C-18 would effectively force tech companies hosting digital platforms, like Google and Meta, to negotiate financial compensation with news organizations for news links shared on digital platforms. This blog post looks at Googles lobbying activity through the month of November 2022 and reveals the lobbying communications reports that Google logged for the month with the Registry of Lobbyist website.

During the month of November 2022, Google Canada’s Managing Director Sabrina Geremia registered communications with Policy Directors and Advisors, Members of Parliament, and Members of the Senate for a total of six registered lobbying communications on the topic of “Media,” “Justice and Law Enforcement,” and “Broadcasting”. Geremia reported two other lobbying communications, one regarding “Science and Technology” with a Senator of Quebec, and the other about “Science and Technology,” and “Privacy and Access to Information” with a Policy Advisor at Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada (ISED).

Google was active in blogging and lobbying on C-11 in November. In early October, YouTube (owned by Google), had published a blog post about Bill C-11 titled “Canada: Keep YouTube Yours,” setting out its position on the bill.  The blog argued that Bill C-11 threatens the success of Canadian content creators because it aims to alter their audience, making it more difficult for Canadian creators to connect with audiences abroad. The YouTube blog notes, “over 90% of watch time on Canadian channels comes from outside Canada.”  YouTube also warns about a future of state-controlled media claiming “Put into practice [Bill C-11], this means that when viewers come to the YouTube homepage, they’re served content that a Canadian Government regulator has prioritized, rather than content they are interested in.”

 Google’s lobbying profile on the Registry of Lobbyist website notes that Google also actively lobbied on Bill C-11 about the regulation of online content. In early December, a Senate committee reported an amendment on Section 4.2 of Bill C-11 which may resolve some of Google’s concerns.  The amendment would remove a revenue test that would have included revenue-generating user generated content as part of what the CRTC could regulate as a ‘program’ under the bill. The amendment meant that Bill C-11 would dramatically narrow the range of “amateur” user generated content that the bill could apply to on streaming platforms.

Google’s lobbying profile also notes that it actively lobbies about the regulation of online content under Bill C-18. Bill C-18 would obligate Google and Facebook parent company Meta to share revenues with news publishers by forcing the companies to reach commercial deals.  On November 14, 2022, Google posted on its Public Policy blog that “It’s time to fix Bill C-18”. The blog post claimed that Bill C-18 “included measures… neither in the interests of Canadians, nor an effective response to the challenges facing the evolving news ecosystem.” The blog post raises concerns about negative effects of Bill C-18 for the Canadian public such as the “proliferation of misinformation” and supporting “large players” rather than local journalism as the Bill intends. The blog post also notes that Bill C-18 is “unworkable for platforms and unreasonable from a business standpoint”.  Such complaints suggest the specific concerns that Google Canada is raising in lobbying meetings with government officials.

Google Canada Corporation: December 2022 Lobbying Summary

Google lobbyists were not quite as active in December with three communications logs. Two were on the topic of “Broadcasting,” and “Media”—one with the Heritage Minister’s Chief of Staff and the Director of Communications of Canadian Heritage, and the other with a Policy Advisor in the Prime Minister’s Office. In December, Google also logged one communication with a policy advisor of the Minister, Environment and Climate Change Canada on the topics of “Environment,” and “Science and Technology.”

On December 14, 2022, Bill C-18 passed in the House of Commons and was headed for the Senate. The Bill would obligate Google and Facebook parent company Meta to share revenues with news publishers by forcing the companies to reach commercial deals.  

By: Helen Beny, Ph.D Candidate (McMaster University)

In this post we review recent news and monthly communication reports from the Office of the Commissioner of Lobbying Canada to update you on the lobbying activities of tech giants in Canada. We have monitored the registered activities of Amazon, Google, Facebook, and IBM from July to September 2022 to provide a general overview of their most recent activities and a table of summary for each company below.  

In the news

On September 15, the Globe & Mail published an editorial criticizing Canada’s federal lobbying regulations in light of revelations that the Prime Minister had a call with Eric Schmidt, the chair of Google and Sidewalk Labs, in 2017, prior to the approval of Sidewalk Labs’ bid to develop a smart city in Toronto. The Editorial Board notes that if a communication is initiated by the government, it is not required to be registered as a lobbying communication and can more easily be kept secret. Sidewalk Labs took a step back following criticisms from the public, but it puts into questions whether Canada’s lobby rules are effective.

Amazon

Based on the data we have gathered from the Commissioner, in the past year, Amazon has logged over 90 registered communications with the Canadian government and many of them this past year are regarding industry and government procurement. Between July 16 and July 22, 2022, Amazon Web Services, under AWS Canada head Eric Gales, has lobbied the Canada School of Public Service; Immigration (President Taki Sarantakis; topic: economic development). The school offers a “Digital Academy” to teach public servants about a range of topics, including cloud computing and cybersecurity. 

AWS also lobbied Refugees and Citizenship Canada (Kyle Nicholson, Director of Policy; topic: immigration), and the Treasury Board (Shirley Ivan, Senior ADM; topic: infrastructure). The Treasury Board is responsible for policies that apply across the federal government, including those related to cloud computing and artificial intelligence. 

Amazon Web Services Lobbying Summary (July – September 2022)

Amazon Fulfillment Services (AFS) a subsidiary of Amazon, under Sumegha Kumar (President), lobbied the Members of Parliament Francis Drouin and Marie-France Lalonde on the topic of “employment and training.” AFS has built Amazon warehouses around the country, creating jobs and a physical presence for the company in Canada. They also lobbied Finance Canada (Tyler Meredith, Director of Economic Strategy and Planning: topic: taxation and finance). Amazon has become Canada’s largest online retailer and has found a way to limit the taxation of their profits by using their subsidiary AFS. 

Amazon Canada Fulfillment Services Lobbying Summary (July – September 2022)

In August, under Amazon Corporate LLC, Mark Johnson lobbied Member of Parliament (Brad Redekopp; topic: employment and training, immigration, economic development, small business, and consumer issues). Last year, Amazon Canada announced their commitment to hire 15,000 full-time and part-time employees across Canada and the company’s expansion could help explain their immigration, economic development, and employment lobbying efforts.  

Amazon Corporate LLC Lobbying Summary (July – September 2022)

Facebook

Between July to September 2022, Garrick Tiplady, (Managing Director) of Facebook Canada Ltd has lobbied the Deputy Minister of Canadian Heritage (PCH) Isabelle Mondou, the Associate Assistant Deputy Minister of (Cultural Affairs) Canadian Heritage (PCH) Owen Ripley and Senior Assistant Deputy Minister (Cultural Affairs) Canadian Heritage (PCH) Joelle Montminy regarding industry. A month later, Garrick Tiplady lobbied both Isabelle Mondou and Owen Ripley regarding industry. Following this last meeting Garrick Tiplady lobbied Senator Paula Simons of the Senate of Canada regarding industry. Alongside Google’s lobbying efforts, Facebook has attempted to sway the Canadian government to reconfigure Bill C-11 and C-18 to ensure that it does not impede on their business model.  

Facebook Canada Ltd. Lobbying Summary (July – September 2022)

Google

As of July, Google has lobbied the government thirteen times regarding Media and Broadcasting, and they have met with various policy officers and members of Parliament. The uptick in lobbying efforts can be linked to Google’s position on Bill C-11, and in the past week they have launched several campaigns against the bill. Google (Alphabet) and owner of Youtube argues that it will impact their platform’s feeds. Other platforms and organizations such as Meta, movie studios (The Motion Picture Association), and Netflix have also outlined that Bill C-11 would give the broadcast regulator too much power over what content is presented on platforms in Canada. Bill C-11 has passed the House of Commons and is now in the Senate pending approval.  

Google is also lobbying against Bill C-18 because it will require Google to share their revenue with news publishers. In Australia, February 25, 2022, a similar bill was also passed titled the  News Media and Digital Platforms Mandatory Bargaining Code to protect their local news industry. 

Google’s president of Global Affairs Kent Walker traveled to Ottawa on October 4^th to lobby against both Bill C-11 and C-18.  Heritage Minister Pablo Rodriguez finds that Google is attempting to intimidate Canadians with their campaign.  

However, not all of Google’s lobbying strategies are recorded in Canada’s registry. Most recently, the Globe and Mail has reported that Chris Bittle, the Parliamentary Secretary to the Heritage Minister, has asked the Lobbying Commissioner to investigate the Digital First group for failing to disclose to the committee that they received a $100,000 fund from YouTube and TikTok. This is concerning because Mr. Benzie the founder of Digital First Canada group is huge critic of Bill C-11. In addition, Google has also offered to fund a lobbyist to represent independent news publishers to voice their concerns around the Online News Act. Thus far, the coalition of small publishers consists of more than 100 independent news outlets.  

Google Canada Corporation Lobbying Summary (July – September 2022)

IBM

Over the past century, IBM Canada has invested in Canada’s research and development. In the past three months, IBM has lobbied the government ten times regarding science and technology. IBM has invested in Canada’s research and development and in February 2022, IBM and the Government of Quebec launched a partnership to accelerate research in new energy solutions, life sciences, quantum computing, AI, and high-performance computing. In May, IBM partnered with Newfoundland and Labrador and invested $18 million to strengthen research and development. They launched two initiatives –the Centre for Analytics, Informatics and Research (CAIR) and the Accelerated Analytics and Machine Learning (AAML) project. IBM’s Dave McCann and Bridget Howe met with members of the Office of the Minister Innovation Science and Economic Development Canada (ISED). In the past three months six out of the ten communications have been with the ISED office. IBM is actively engaged with the Canadian government to discuss Canada’s copyright framework for Artificial Intelligence and the Internet of Things. 

IBM Canada Ltd. Lobbying Summary (July – September 2022)

What’s Next?

The brief analysis and tables provide a snapshot of the tech lobbying practices of Amazon, Facebook, Google, and IBM. While this summary does not explain all their activities, tech lobbying practices have increased in Canada overtime. In particular, the Trudeau government has encouraged their expansion to promote economic development. However, there needs to be more transparency and scrutiny. Over the course of this project, we will continue to monitor tech lobbying practices over time in attempts to illuminate their influence on existing and/or emerging policies.