12-Month Lobbying Summary - In-house Organization

Subject Matters

• Arts and Culture
• Broadcasting
• Budget
• Consumer Issues
• Economic Development
• Education
• Employment and Training
• Immigration
• Industry
• Intellectual Property
• Internal Trade
• International Relations
• International Trade
• Justice and Law Enforcement
• Labour
• Privacy and Access to Information
• Research and Development
• Science and Technology
• Taxation and Finance
• Telecommunications

Subject Matter Details

Legislative Proposal, Bill or Resolution

• Bill C-244, advocate for an amendment that would have “Video Game Console” excluded or otherwise carved out of the legislation. Allowing unauthorized parties to bypass the specialized software that protects video game consoles creates significant potential for security and piracy risks. (Intellectual Property).
• Bill C-27, (Consumer Privacy Protection Act) - Advocate for more explicit exclusions to the "right to deletion" to ensure our members can operate anti-cheat/anti-fraud programs to detect, identify and address cheating, hacking and fraud activities that can have a significant negative impact on the play experience and other negative consequences. (Privacy & Access to Information)
• Online Safety - Ensuring decision makers are aware of the video game industry's shared commitment to online trust and safety in advance of the introduction of online safety legislation. This includes educating government on the plethora of activities undertaken by video game publishers and console makers to promote civility, build community, and incentivize positive behavior, as well as implementing leading-edge technologies, detection methods and practices to combat toxic behavior, while equipping players with information and tools on how to keep their environments as safe as possible. (Consumer Issues, Public Safety).

Legislative Proposal, Bill or Resolution, Regulation

• Engage with government on the implementation of the Investment in Canada Act (ICA), as necessary to ensure Canada remains a top destination for foreign direct investment in the video game industry. This includes any regulations resultant from the passing of Bill C-34, An Act To Amend the Investment in Canada Act, that may impact the sector. (Economic Development).

Policies or Program

• Accelerating processing times for labour market opinions and work permits for Temporary Foreign Workers in the IT & gaming industries. (Employment & Training, Immigration).
• Advocacy related to the proposed new Digital Services Tax (DST) (Taxation & Finance)
• Classification of game developers, publishers and distributors under the North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) & federal National Occupation Codes (NOC) system (Employment & Training).
• To advocate for the cooperation of the federal and provincial governments to introduce a digital economy skills initiative to ensure Canadian students have the skills necessary to thrive in the digital economy. (Education, Economic Development).

• Subject matter details in previous versions

  Legislative Proposal, Bill or Resolution

  • Bill C-244, advocate for an amendment that would have “Video Game Console” excluded or otherwise carved out of the legislation. Allowing unauthorized parties to bypass the specialized software that protects video game consoles creates significant potential for security and piracy risks.
  • Bill C-27, (Consumer Privacy Protection Act) - Advocate for more explicit exclusions to the "right to deletion" to ensure our members can operate anti-cheat/anti-fraud programs to detect, identify and address cheating, hacking and fraud activities that can have a significant negative impact on the play experience and other negative consequences.
  • Online Safety - Ensuring decision makers are aware of the video game industry's shared commitment to online trust and safety in advance of the introduction of online safety legislation. This includes educating government on the plethora of activities undertaken by video game publishers and console makers to promote civility, build community, and incentivize positive behavior, as well as implementing leading-edge technologies, detection methods and practices to combat toxic behavior, while equipping players with information and tools on how to keep their environments as safe as possible.
  • Seek information regarding the exclusion of video games from regulation under Bill C-11, the Online Streaming Act

  Policies or Program

  • Accelerating processing times for labour market opinions and work permits for Temporary Foreign Workers in the IT & gaming industries.
  • Advocacy related to the proposed new Digital Services Tax (DST)
  • Classification of game developers, publishers and distributors under the North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) & federal National Occupation Codes (NOC) system
  • To advocate for the cooperation of the federal and provincial governments to introduce a digital economy skills initiative to ensure Canadian students have the skills necessary to thrive in the digital economy.
  • WTO Information Technology Agreement ("ITA") with respect to classification of game hardware and software

  Policies or Program, Regulation

  • Inter-company transfer program in respect to potential changes that will limit the professionals companies can transfer from other offices into their Canadian offices.