By Fizza Kulvi, PhD Candidate (McMaster University)
The lobbying practices of IBM Canada have not received as much journalistic attention as companies like Uber, Netflix, and Google. However, data from the Canadian lobbyist registry combined with public information provided by the company itself helps us get a sense of IBM’s lobbying in the US and Canada.
IBM emphasizes its investments in Canada, particularly in research, development, and innovation. It has registered lobbying interventions in policy debates ranging from cybersecurity, economic development, privacy, and health. The company highlights its research partnerships with the federal government, the Government of Ontario, and the Government of Alberta.
IBM lobbying in the US
IBM emphasizes that is one of only a handful of major companies that does not make financial contributions to political parties in the United States. The company has never had a political action committee, yet it has established a strong presence in Washington by lobbying and financing intermediaries. IBM lobbies about promoting modernized technology for governance, cybersecurity, competitive open source 5G market, trustworthy AI, Section 230 reform, and data privacy legislation. IBM has also decided to intervene in issues like immigration reform and the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act. It took a stance against facial recognition software used for policing and surveillance. These interventions are a result of increasing pressures from shareholders, consumers and employees to address the company’s social impact.
Who lobbies for IBM in Canada?
IBM has relied on the lobbying expertise of numerous consultants from Crestview Strategy including Alexander Byrne-Krzycki, John O’Leary, Bryan Detchou, and Bridget Howe. All consultants have held public offices ranging from the House of Commons, Employment and Social Development Canada, and the Senate. Another consulting firm associated with IBM Canada is the Capital Hill Group.
Two of IBM Canada’s Government and Regulatory Affairs Executives, Tiéoulé Traoré and Alayne Crawford, have also held public office positions. Traoré served as a Parliamentary Assistant for an MP from Trois-Rivières from 2012 to 2014 while Crawford held multiple positions at the Prime Minister’s Office between 2008 and 2010.
A list of the most recent IBM consultants that have held public office is provided below.
What does IBM lobby about in Canada?
IBM Canada has intervened in policy debates about economic development, intellectual property, cybersecurity, immigration, taxation and finance, government procurement, and more. The tech company has taken a stance on Bill C-26: Critical Cyber Systems Protection Act, Bill C-27: Digital Charter Implementation Act, as well as policies and programs related to temporary foreign workers, COVID-19, and regional economic development.
IBM also influences Canadian communication policy through investments in collaborative innovation through its IBM Canada Research and Development Centre (CRDC). One area of focus is promoting “made in Canada” disruptive technologies. This policy objective is carried out through the Southern Ontario Smart Computing and Innovation Platform (SOSCIP) consortium which consists of the CRDC, the Government of Ontario, the Government of Canada, and seven Canadian universities. SOSCIP is credited with implementing Canada’s most powerful advanced computing platforms.
Another example is the IBM Alberta Centre for Advanced Studies (CAS), formed in partnership with the Government of Alberta. CAS engages Alberta university professors and students with IBM research, staff, and technologies to create technological solutions to challenges in environment, healthcare, and natural resource management. IBM also has made investments in Quebec (MiQro Innovation Collaborative Centre) and Atlantic Canada (IBM Services Centre: Nova Scotia, CARET Partnership, CHIA, New Brunswick IT Delivery Center).
What government institutions does IBM lobby in Canada?
IBM has lobbied many government institutions in Canada. A list of the most recent institutions is provided below. This list was created using data from the Lobbying Registry.
- Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC)
- Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency (ACOA)
- Bank of Canada
- Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA)
- Canada Economic Development for Quebec Regions
- Canada Revenue Agency (CRA)
- Canadian Northern Economic Development Agency (CanNor)
- Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC)
- Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC)
- Export Development Canada (EDC)
- Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario (FedDev)
- 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)
- Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC)
- Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada (OPC)
- Prairies Economic Development Canada (PrairiesCan)
- Prime Minister’s Office (PMO)
- Privy Council Office (PCO)
- Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC)
- Public Safety Canada (PS)
- Public Services and Procurement Canada (PSPC)
- Senate of Canada
- Service Canada (ServCan)
- Shared Services Canada (SSC)
- Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC)
- Transport Canada (TC)
- Treasury Board Of Canada Secretariat (TBS)
- Veterans Affairs Canada (VAC)