Parks Canada backtracks on directive to buy from Amazon

Parks Canada has backtracked on a directive encouraging its employees to buy from Amazon.

“Parks Canada recognizes the email that went out yesterday regarding the Amazon Business program for procurement misses the mark, its timing and substance was not sensitive to the current dynamics and does not meet the public’s expectations,” an e-mail sent to CTV News states. “Parks is rescinding the directive effective immediately and is notifying employees of this decision.”

• READ MORE: Quebec union confederation calling for Amazon boycott, planning legal action

The e-mail goes on to say that “Parks Canada is committed to its continued support of Canadian and Indigenous owned businesses” and is a “proud supporter of Canadian businesses and Canadian made products.”

The department had sent a memo to its employees on Monday encouraging them to join Amazon Business to purchase office and other supplies.

Around the same time, the Canadian government was working to convince U.S. President Donald Trump to suspend his tariff threat.

• READ MORE: Amazon closing all Quebec warehouses

It also came less than two weeks after Amazon announced that it would be closing all its facilities in Quebec and returning to a third-party delivery model.

In response to that announcement, the Confédération des syndicats nationaux (CSN) launched a boycott campaign against the e-commerce giant, calling on the public and politicians to demonstrate on Feb. 15.

Additionally, municipalities across the province have said they would stop doing business with the retail giant.

The Canadian government also spoke out at the time, demanding that Amazon “immediately” reconsider its decision to close all its distribution centres in Quebec and threatening to review its commercial relationship with the company if nothing is done.

Amazon has denied that the closure is linked to the unionization of employees at the DXT4 facility in Laval, Que.