Evidence of meeting #69 for Canadian Heritage in the 44th Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was google.
A recording is available from Parliament.
1:15 p.m.
Liberal
Anthony Housefather Liberal Mount Royal, QC
Ms. Geremia, I asked you a question. You are the person here who is the head of Google in Canada. I asked you a question.
Yes or no?
1:15 p.m.
Vice President and Country Manager, Google Canada
Could you repeat the question, please?
1:15 p.m.
Liberal
Anthony Housefather Liberal Mount Royal, QC
As part of this scheme, did you use individual user data to block users from accessing news sources?
1:15 p.m.
Vice President and Country Manager, Google Canada
I think we will need to get back to you on that. I'm also here with a subject matter expert on the test, who can answer questions regarding the test.
1:15 p.m.
Liberal
1:15 p.m.
Vice President and Country Manager, Google Canada
With all due respect, Madam Chair, I'm here. I'm here on short notice, and I'm the head of Google in Canada. I'm accompanied by Jason Kee, who is an expert in search, news and ads. We're here to talk about Canadian legislation—
1:15 p.m.
Liberal
Anthony Housefather Liberal Mount Royal, QC
Ms. Geremia, I'm going to ask the chair to order you to answer the question. I asked you a very clear question: Is Sundar Pichai here today? You know he was summoned by this committee. Is he here?
1:15 p.m.
Vice President and Country Manager, Google Canada
With respect, we've had a very short time to prepare. I'm here for the second time this week, and—
1:15 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Hedy Fry
I'm sorry, Ms. Geremia, I think you were asked to say yes or no to the question.
1:15 p.m.
Liberal
Anthony Housefather Liberal Mount Royal, QC
All three of them were summoned by this committee. Are you aware as to whether Mr. Walker and Mr. Gingras have visited Canada in recent months to lobby on Bill C-18? Are you aware that Mr. Walker and Mr. Gingras have been here to lobby parliamentarians on Bill C-18?
1:15 p.m.
Liberal
Anthony Housefather Liberal Mount Royal, QC
They're willing to lobby against the bill privately, but not willing to come to the committee to speak publicly.
Google has sent documents to the committee, which we've recently received. My understanding is that all of the documents Google provided to the committee are publicly available documents on Google's website. Google was asked to provide:
all internal or external communications (including but not limited to emails, texts or other forms of messages) related to actions it planned to take or options it considered in relation to Canada’s Bill C-18, including but not limited to those in relation to the testing of the blocking of news sites in Canada;
and
the list of all news organizations blocked by Google, in Canada
It seems we got none of that information, but rather were thrown a bunch of publicly available information.
Ms. Geremia, did you ever write any email or send any text that related to your plans related to Bill C-18?
1:20 p.m.
Vice President and Country Manager, Google Canada
Respectfully, Madam Chair, I have been focused on preparing for this testimony. I'm here for the second time this week, and I'm here to answer questions. This is about product tests in Canada.
There is another team that is working on the request for documentation. I am aware that they are working on it, but I am not close to the details. They have provided documentation to you, but I am not close to the details.
1:20 p.m.
Liberal
Anthony Housefather Liberal Mount Royal, QC
I asked a different question, Ms. Geremia. I asked if you personally have ever written an email or sent a text related to this scheme to block news content from the search engine or how Google should react to Bill C-18.
1:20 p.m.
Vice President and Country Manager, Google Canada
I would like to disagree with the premise. News is available in Canada, and this is a product test. I have—
1:20 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Hedy Fry
Ms. Geremia, I think that it is Mr. Housefather's time, and he's asking questions. He is very clear that he wants a yes or no answer, so can you please answer his questions? Thank you.
1:20 p.m.
Vice President and Country Manager, Google Canada
I am here to collaborate. In terms of Bill C-18, we've been very transparent with our concerns. We've been publishing this, etc., and we're here to answer questions.
1:20 p.m.
Liberal
Anthony Housefather Liberal Mount Royal, QC
Ms. Geremia, with due respect, the question is whether or not you ever wrote an email or sent a text that would be covered by the subject matter the committee summoned. You can answer that with a yes or no, because you have personal knowledge of that.
You're refusing thus far to answer, and the chair has asked you to answer. Is it a yes or is it a no?
1:20 p.m.
Vice President and Country Manager, Google Canada
The request was very broad; it was very broad and it was on very short notice. I am aware that I am here to collaborate, and I have been very transparent about our concerns. I don't know exactly what you're looking for; I'm not really clear on what you're asking.
1:20 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Hedy Fry
Thank you very much.
You have five seconds left. I think your time is up.