Evidence of meeting #53 for Access to Information, Privacy and Ethics in the 44th Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was aws.
A recording is available from Parliament.
4:55 p.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative John Brassard
Thank you, Mr. Villemure.
Thank you, Ms. Foster.
Next we'll go to Mr. Green for six minutes.
Mr. Green is online, Nicole, just so you know.
Go ahead, Mr. Green.
December 14th, 2022 / 4:55 p.m.
NDP
Matthew Green NDP Hamilton Centre, ON
Ms. Foster, you are the director of Canadian public policy. Is that correct?
4:55 p.m.
Director, Global Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning, Canada Public Policy, Amazon Web Services, Inc.
I am, for AWS, yes.
4:55 p.m.
NDP
Matthew Green NDP Hamilton Centre, ON
What are the total contracts for AWS with the Government of Canada?
4:55 p.m.
Director, Global Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning, Canada Public Policy, Amazon Web Services, Inc.
That question was asked earlier. I don't know the total dollar value of Government of Canada contracts.
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NDP
Matthew Green NDP Hamilton Centre, ON
You don't know, or you're unwilling to provide it to the committee.
4:55 p.m.
Director, Global Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning, Canada Public Policy, Amazon Web Services, Inc.
I don't know. I honestly don't know. I would be willing to work with our.... First of all, it would be something the customer would need to provide. It's not something we can provide—
4:55 p.m.
NDP
Matthew Green NDP Hamilton Centre, ON
You are the director of Canadian public policy for the Canadian arm of the company.
4:55 p.m.
Director, Global Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning, Canada Public Policy, Amazon Web Services, Inc.
That's correct, but I'm not the director of sales.
4:55 p.m.
NDP
Matthew Green NDP Hamilton Centre, ON
You don't know what your department's total contracts are with—
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Director, Global Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning, Canada Public Policy, Amazon Web Services, Inc.
That [Technical difficulty—Editor] my department within the organization.
4:55 p.m.
NDP
Matthew Green NDP Hamilton Centre, ON
Okay. What are your department's total contracts with the Government of Canada?
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Director, Global Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning, Canada Public Policy, Amazon Web Services, Inc.
My department is public policy. We have zero dollars of contracts with the Government of Canada.
4:55 p.m.
NDP
4:55 p.m.
Director, Global Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning, Canada Public Policy, Amazon Web Services, Inc.
I don't know that number. We would defer to the customer to provide that information. We wouldn't disclose customer information—
4:55 p.m.
NDP
Matthew Green NDP Hamilton Centre, ON
Ms. Foster, this is a government committee for the Parliament of Canada. We have the ability to send for documents and evidence. You have a duty of candour to this committee to answer questions truthfully. You're not here to do the government's work. You're here to answer questions.
Within your $4.29-million contract for ArriveCAN, was it just for ArriveCAN, or was it for multiple projects?
4:55 p.m.
Director, Global Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning, Canada Public Policy, Amazon Web Services, Inc.
That specific amount is related specifically to ArriveCAN.
4:55 p.m.
NDP
Matthew Green NDP Hamilton Centre, ON
I've heard you answer in very roundabout ways. I'm going to ask you for some more direct answers. You said “a number of people” were involved with the contract. How many, specifically, were involved with the contract?
4:55 p.m.
Director, Global Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning, Canada Public Policy, Amazon Web Services, Inc.
Our services are not contracted to a specific individual or specific—
4:55 p.m.
NDP
5 p.m.
Director, Global Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning, Canada Public Policy, Amazon Web Services, Inc.
I believe it was between 20 and 30. I don't have the exact number.
5 p.m.
Director, Global Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning, Canada Public Policy, Amazon Web Services, Inc.
One partner was involved at the very initial discussion, but most of the work was done in direct contract with the Government of Canada. We did not work with partners on this project.
5 p.m.
NDP
Matthew Green NDP Hamilton Centre, ON
Did you work on the development of the initial version of ArriveCAN?
5 p.m.
Director, Global Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning, Canada Public Policy, Amazon Web Services, Inc.
No. We did not develop the app in any way.