Amazon Web Services’ Lobbying Objectives in Canada

Background: As the dominant cloud-computing firm globally, Amazon Web Services (AWS) has leveraged its relationship with parent company Amazon to cultivate government dependencies on its cloud services, which extend beyond simple data storage to include expansive capacity in computing power, software, and artificial intelligence (AI) applications.

Analysis: Based on an in-depth case study of AWS’s lobbying activity in Canada, this article summarizes the firm’s three main lobbying objectives: expansion of its operations into Canada, ensuring procurement by Canadian federal agencies, and influencing emerging Canadian cloud-related data policies.

Conclusions and implications: This article demonstrates how AWS engages in lobbying in Canada as an example of how U.S. platforms permeate governments worldwide, potentially influencing global data policy.