TECHNATION’s 2024 Hill Day Champions AI Innovation and Procurement Modernization

On November 19, TECHNATION held its 2024 Hill Day led by Angela Mondou, President and CEO, Prateek Sureka, EVP, Government Relations and Strategy and Sabeeh Masud, Policy Analyst, joined by member companies: Accenture Canada, ADGA Group Consultants Inc., CGI, D2L, KPMG, Kyndryl, Oracle Canada, Snowflake and Tata Consultancy Services (TCS).  TECHNATION’s annual Hill Day event connects industry leaders and federal decision-makers to discuss sector-wide issues, drive industry-government collaboration and advance Canada’s digital economy. 

The discussions focused on accelerating AI adoption and modernizing public sector procurement—two priorities vital to Canada’s competitiveness. Members engaged with officials from the Privy Council Office, Treasury Board Secretariat, Public Services and Procurement Canada (PSPC), Shared Services Canada, Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada (ISED), the Office of the Leader of the Opposition, Senator Colin Deacon, Senator Hassan Yussuff, MP Kelly Block (shadow Minister for Public Services and Procurement), MP James Bezan (shadow Minister for National Defence) and MP Charles Sousa (Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Public Services and Procurement).

Accelerating AI Adoption and Digital Innovation Through a Canadian AI Strategy 

TECHNATION emphasized the need for a national AI strategy to close the adoption gap, enhance productivity, and align federal policies with global frameworks. The AI Adoption and Digital Innovation group also highlighted the importance of adopting a balanced approach to enable responsible AI adoption while supporting ethical innovation and fostering industry growth. 

Modernizing Public Sector Procurement: Transparency, Access, and Growth 

Equally, members stressed the importance of a modern, transparent procurement framework that reduces administrative burdens, fosters innovation, and ensures equitable opportunities for SMEs and larger companies. TECHNATION members also emphasized the need for a collaborative government-industry approach to streamline procurement processes, accelerate the adoption of transformative digital tools, and strengthen Canada’s public services. 

These discussions underscored the potential of industry-government collaboration to transform Canada’s digital future, setting the stage for innovation leadership as Canada prepares for its 2025 G7 Presidency. Hill Day demonstrated TECHNATION’s commitment to driving meaningful change for Canadians through strong partnerships with government. 

TECHNATION’s Hill Day is a valuable day of advocacy where politicians, top government officials, and the tech sector work together to enable change and deliver digital solutions for all Canadians. Learn more about TECHNATION’s Advocacy and Policy work here.