By Charnjot Shokar, M.A.
Amazon Lobbying in the News
2022 was a record year for tech lobbying amongst most major players, and leading the charge was none other than Amazon. The organization dished out a personal record setting $19.7 million in lobbying – exceeding the likes of Meta, Google, Microsoft and Apple.
In the same year that Amazon led all platforms in lobbying expenditures, A Globe and Mail investigation found that the organization created a number of subsidiary companies—such as Amazon Canada Fulfillment Services—through which it was able to limit its taxable profits as a whole. The documents obtained by the Globe and Mail found that staff were ensuring “profits from retail sales in Canada were booked in the United States” and that employees “were instructed not to spend more than two consecutive weeks or more than 182 days a year in Canada”. These efforts were put in place by Amazon to shield itself from paying the amount of tax that one could expect for a country’s biggest online retailer.
Both Canadian and American governments have come to rely on Amazon. In Canada, Amazon signed 45 contracts valued at over $10,000 each with varying government institutions, totalling over $15.3 million dollars according to the Government of Canada website. In America, the Defense Department divided its 2022 contract award for cloud computing to four firms – Amazon, Google, Microsoft and Oracle, for an estimated total of $9 billion. Further to that, Amazon sole sourced a cloud computing contract with the US Navy in the same year for cloud computing services, at a whopping $723.9 million.
Who lobbies for Amazon in Canada?
Amazon has a long history of lobbying across many government departments, with nearly 900 registered communications according to the registry of lobbyists. Much of Amazon’s lobbying has been conducted through in-house representatives and the Ottawa-based Public Relations firm PAA Advisory. The table below reflects all of Amazon’s registered lobbyists that have held federal public office; contents of the table are taken from the registry of lobbyists. All lobbying communications below are active as of the date of this publication.
| Name | Position | Firm | Organization | Public Office Held |
| Eric Lamoureux | Consultant | Conseillers Affaires Publiques Inc. | Amazon Corporate LLC | Director of Parliamentary Affairs, Foreign Affairs and International Trade, Office of the Minister (2004-2006); Policy Advisor, Health Canada, Office of the Minister (2003-2004); Special Assistant, Caucus Lisaison and Ontario Department of International Trade, Office of the Minister (2003-2003) |
| Matthew Larventz | Consultant | PAA Advisory | Amazon Corporate LLC | Legislative Assistant, House of Commons, Office of Randeep Sirai, M.P. (2015-2017); Administrative Advisor of Operations, Public Services and Procurement Canada, Deputy Minister’s Office (2015-2015); Student, Treasury Board Secretariat, International Affairs, Security and Justice Sector (2014-2015); Student Regulatory Affairs Analyst, Environment Canada, Regulatory Affairs (2011-2013) |
| Mark Johnson | Consultant | PAA Advisory | Amazon Corporate LLC | Issues Manager, Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada, Biomanufacturing Strategy Implementation Team (2021-2021); Associate Director of Parliamentary Affairs, House of Commons, Conservative Resource Group (2018-2020); Project Leader, Canada Border Services Agency, Professional Practises Directorate (2017-2018); Policy and Stakeholder Relations Advisor, House of Commons, Office of the Member of Parliament for Portage-Lisgar (2016-2017); Directory of Parliamentary Affairs, Public Safety Canada, Minister’s Office (2011-2015); Parliamentary Secretary’s Assistant, Veterans Affairs Canada, Minister’s Office (2009-2011) |
| Thoren Hudyma | Senior Manager, Canada Public Policy | Amazon | Amazon Canada Fulfillment Services, ULC | Communications Officer, Office of the Prime Minister, Press Office (2000-2003); Press Secretary, Office of the Secretary of State of Multiculturalism and Status of Women, Minister’s Office (1998-2000) |
| Maximilien Roy | Senior Manager, Public Policy | Amazon | Amazon Canada Fulfillment Services, ULC | Director of Operations, Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada, Office of the Minister of Tourism, Official Languages and La Francophone (2018-2018); Director of Operations, Finance Canada, Minister’s Office (2015-2018) |
| Aliya Mohamed | Manager, Canada Public Policy | Amazon | Amazon Canada Fulfillment Services, ULC | Managing Director, Office of the Prime Minister, Tour, Scheduling & Operations Department (2013-2015); Manager of Tour, Office of the Prime Minister, Tour, Scheduling & Operations Department (2011-2013); Advance to the Prime Minister, Office of the Prime Minister, Tour, Scheduling & Operations Department (2008-2011); Executive Assistant to the Minister, Human Resources and Skills Development Canada, Minister’s Office (2007-2008); Executive Assistant to the Minister, Citizenship and Immigration Canada, Minister’s Office (2006-2007) |
| James Maunder | Director, Canada Public Policy | Amazon | Amazon Canada Fulfillment Services, ULC | Chief of Staff, Industry Canada, Minister’s Office (2013-2015); Chief of Staff, Canadian Heritage and Official Languages, Minister’s Office (2012-2013); Director of Communications, Canadian Heritage and Official Languages, Minister’s Office (2011-2012); Director of Parliamentary Affairs, Canadian Heritage and Official Languages, Minister’s Office (2009-2011); Director of Issues Management, Natural Resources Canada, Minister’s Office (2008-2009); Senior Policy Advisor, Human Resources and Social Development Canada, Minister’s Office (2007-2008) |
| Steven de Eyre | Senior Manager, Public Policy | Amazon | Amazon Canada Fulfillment Services, ULC | Senior Policy Office (Industry), Global Affairs Canada, Embassy of Canada to the United States (2013-2016); Research Analyst (CBSA), Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade, and Development, Embassy of Canada to the United States (2011-2013) |
| Patrick Robert | Manager, Public Policy | Amazon | Amazon Canada Fulfillment Services, ULC | Press Secretary, Treasury Board, Office of the Minister (2006-2007); Special Assistant, Environment Canada, Office of the Minister (2006-2006) |
| Naresh Raghubeer | Consultant | Sandstone Group | Amazon Web Services Canada, Inc. | Director of Policy and Parliamentary Office, Senate of Canada, No Branch (2012-2017) |
| Catherine Fortin-Lefaivre | Senior Manager, AWS Public Policy (Central Canada) | Amazon | Amazon Web Services Canada, Inc. | Communications Advisor, House of Commons Administration, Office of the Clerk (2010-2013) |
| Nicole Foster | Director, AWS Global AI/ML and Canada Public Policy | Amazon | Amazon Web Services Canada, Inc. | Legislative Assistant, Environment Canada, Minister’s Office (2002-2004); Special Assistant, Rural Development, Office of the Secretary of State (2001-2002); Special Assistant, Multiculturalism and Status of Women, Office of the Secretary of State (2001-2001); Summer Intern, Transport Canada (1996-1996) |
| Alex Maheu | Principal, AWS Canada, Public Policy | Amazon | Amazon Web Services Canada, Inc. | Legislative Assistant, House of Commons, Office of the Member of Parliament for Davenport (2004-2008); Special Assistant, Canadian Heritage, Office of the Minister (2003-2004) |
| Don Boudria | Consultant | Don Boudria Consulting Inc | Amazon Corporate LLC | Minister of State and Leader of the Government in the House of Commons, Member of Parliament, House of Commons (2002-2003); Minister of Public Works and Government Services, Public Works and Government Services, Minister’s Office (2002-2002); Minister of State and Leader of the Government in the House of Commons, House of Commons (1997-2002); Minister of International Cooperation, CIDA, Minister’s Office (1996-1997); Minister responsible for La Francophonie, La Francophonie, Minister’s Office (1996-1997); Chief Government Whip, Whip’s Office, House of Commons (1994-1996); Deputy Government Whip, House of Commons (1993-1994); Deputy Opposition House Leader, House of Commons (1990-1993); Deputy Opposition Whip, House of Commons (1988-1990); Member of Parliament for Glengarry-Prescott-Russell, Parliament of Canada, House of Commons (1984-2006); Purchasing Agent, House of Commons (1975-1981); Stationery Clerk, House of Commons (1972-1975); Messenger, House of Commons (1970-1972); Store Clerk, House of Commons (1967-1970); Bus Boy, House of Commons (1966-1966) |
| Douglas Thomas | Consultant | Sandstone Group | Amazon Corporate LLC | Cadet Instructors Cadre Officer DND, Cadet Organization, Administration and Training Service (1985-1993) |
| Matthew Trapp | Consultant | Sandstone Group | Amazon Web Services Canada, Inc. | Legislative Assistant, House of Commons, Office of Earl Dreeshen Member of Parliament for Red Deer (2014-2015); Members Assistant, House of Commons, Office of Joe Preston Member of Parliament (2012-2014) |
| Kevin Bosch | Consultant | Sandstone Group | Amazon Web Services Canada, Inc. | Legislative Assistant, Human Resources Development Canada, Office of the Minister (2002-2022); Special Assistant, Environment Canada, Office of the Minister (2001-2001) |
| James Anderson | Consultant | PAA Advisory | Amazon Corporate LLC | Director of Policy, Foreign Affairs, Office of the Minister (2004-2006); Director of Policy, Health Canada, Office of the Minister (2003-2004); Sr Policy Advisor and Director of Communications, International Trade, Office of the Minister (1999-2003); Senior Policy Advisor, Human Resources Development Canada, Office of the Minister (1999-1999); Senior Policy Advisor, Human Resources Development Canada, Strategic Policy Branch (1995-1998); Senior Policy Advisor, Fisheries and Oceans, Strategic Policy Branch (1993-1995) |
| Noah Niznick | Consultant | PAA Advisory | Amazon Corporate LLC | Researcher, Parliament of Canada, House of Commons (2015-2015); Legislative and Communications Assistant, House of Commons, MP’s Office (Fin Donnelly) (2015-2015); Legislative and Communications Assistant, House of Commons, MP’s Office (Glenn Thibeault) (2013-2015); Parliamentary Assistant, House of Commons, MP’s Office (Glenn Thibeault) (2011-2013); Parliamentary Intern, House of Commons, MP’s Office (Glenn Thibeault) (2010-2011) |
| Marie Lemieux | Consultant | PAA Advisors | Amazon Corporate LLC | Hearing Support Assistant, Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada (IRD), Refugee Protection Division (2016-2016); |
| Steve Van Groningen | Consultant | PAA Advisory | Amazon Corporate LLC | Senior Strategic Communications Advisor / Manager of Written Production, House of Commons, Conservative Research Office (2016-2019); Researcher, Special Projects, House of Commons, Conservative Resource Group (2010-2016); Special Assistant, Prime Minister’s Office, Office of the Chief of Staff (2009-2010) |
What does Amazon lobby about in Canada?
As per the lobbying registry, the top five subject matters that Amazon lobbies about are 1) Industry (493 registered lobbying communications), 2) Science and Technology (247), 3) Government Procurement (235), 4) International Trade (233), and 5) Privacy and Access to Information (204). It is worth mentioning that the first two subject matters are incredibly vague; even if one were to go through the lobbying communications individually, it is difficult to determine what specifically is being discussed in each instance.
According to the subject matter details provided in the lobbying registrations, nearly all of Amazon’s lobbying is in an effort to pursue Government contracts through their subsidiary Amazon Web Services’ cloud-based solutions software, and to influence policy decisions as they relate to cloud computing. Amazon Web Services provides “on-demand cloud computing services for individuals, companies and governments on a metred, pay-as-you-go basis. The ‘cloud’ refers to the on-demand delivery of IT resources over the Internet, such as servers, and the software applications and databases that run on them.”
Since 2012, Amazon has held many contracts with varying government departments, and the vast majority of those contracts are with Amazon Web Services for software and license/maintenance fees and computer services. Aside from cloud services, the company has reported that it looks to “work with the government to ease the process of selling goods and services online, and delivering them to consumers,” and “work with government to promote and support Canada’s digital economy, including the availability of a high-skilled tech workforce.”
What government institutions does Amazon lobby in Canada?
Amazon has lobbied 40 government institutions to date. A complete list of institutions was created using information from all active lobbying communications (26 at the time of writing) found in the Lobbying Registry and is provided below.
- Agriculture and Agri-Foods Canada (AAFC)
- Business Development Bank of Canada (BDC)
- Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA)
- Canada Foundation for Innovation
- Canada Pension Plan Investment Board
- Canada Post Corporation (CPC)
- Canada Revenue Agency (CRA)
- Canada School of Public Service (CSPS)
- Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA)
- Canadian Heritage (PCH)
- Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC)
- Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS)
- Communications Security Establishment Canada (CSEC)
- Competition Bureau Canada (COBU)
- Copyright Board of Canada (CB)
- Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada (CIRNAC)
- Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC)
- Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC)
- Finance Canada (FIN)
- Global Affairs Canada (GAC)
- Health Canada (HC)
- House of Commons
- Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC)
- Indigenous Services Canada (ISC)
- Infrastructure Canada (INFC)
- Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada (ISED)
- National Defence (DND)
- National Research Council (NRC)
- Natural Resources Canada (NRCan)
- Office of the Superintendent of Financial Institutions Canada (OSFI)
- Prime Minister’s Office (PMO)
- Privy Council Office (PCO)
- Public Safety Canada (PS)
- Public Services and Procurement Canada (PSPC)
- Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP)
- Senate of Canada
- Shared Services Canada (SSC)
- Transport Canada (TC)
- Treasury Board Of Canada Secretariat (TBS)
- Veterans Affairs Canada (VAC)