17 January 2012

Who influences LAC?

There are no organizations currently lobbying on "genealogy" with the Government of Canada, that's according to a search on the word at the register of the Office of the Commissioner of Lobbying of Canada.

Until about a year ago Jacques J.M. Shore of Gowling Lafleur Henderson LLP had, since 2004, been registered to lobby LAC for Ancestry.ca on "assistance regarding the company's effort to broaden its genealogy information base regarding Canadian ancestry and assist in program development to enhance Canadian genealogical information available to the public." and to "develop working relationship for information sharing and potential collaboration agreement." Interestingly the Ancestry address given is in Provo, Utah, not the company Toronto office.

Ten organizations with current registrations mention Library and Archives Canada. Five, the University of Saskatchewan, Xerox Canada Ltd, the Union of British Columbia Municipalities, The Toronto-Dominion Bank, and McAfee Canada Inc., name LAC as just one among a comprehensive list of potential lobbying targets.

The Canadian National Institute for the Blind is registered for multiple departments and agencies as "seeking government funding through HRSDC to significantly improve service to CNIB library clients."

The Canadian Publishers' Council mentions lobbying on "Legal Deposit of Publications regulation respecting deposit of electronic works at Library and Archives Canada to ensure that implementation will be phased and that there will be ongoing consultation with the publishing sector in this regard", although curiously LAC is not specified as an organization to be lobbied.

The Canadian Association of Research Libraries mentions LAC as being a member, one of three members "that do not participate in or finance advocacy discussion or activity and that do not participate in Association board-level governance."

The Canadian Association of University Teachers includes LAC as one of a large number of departments and agencies lobbied, but specifically mentions as a subject for lobbying "the restructuring of Library and Archives Canada (LAC), the redefinition of its mandate, and financial cutbacks that undermine LAC’s ability to acquire, preserve and make publicly available Canada’s full documentary heritage."

Amazon.ca is registered to lobby LAC and six others on "Bill C-27: The Electronic Commerce Protection Act with respect to legislative amendments concerning implied consent and private right of action." and "Canadian Heritage and Culture and Investment Canada Act; to provide background information to company's activities in Canada; Canadian Heritage and Network Neutrality."

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