Technical Difficulties Delay Committee Meeting That Google Exec Was Set to Attend

A logo outside a Google office near the company's headquarters in Mountain View, Calif. on May 8, 2019. Paresh Dave/Reuters

A parliamentary committee that was set to hear from the head of Google Canada is hoping to reschedule her appearance for later this week.

The heritage committee was set to hear from Sabrina Geremia after MPs summoned her and three other Google executives to appear today.

While Geremia technically fulfilled the summons by showing up, the chair of the committee cancelled the meeting before it began due to technical difficulties that prevented some members of Parliament from attending virtually.

New Democrat MP Peter Julian had planned to introduce a motion to notify the House of Commons that Google’s CEO Sundar Pichai, as well as its president of global affairs Kent Walker and vice-president of news Richard Gingras refused the committee’s summons.

Julian says his intention is to bring forward the motion at the next meeting.

All four were summoned to appear after Google confirmed it is running a five-week test to limit news access to some Canadian users in response to the Liberal government’s proposed Online News Act, which would put a price on news links.