Experts urge PM Carney to protect Canada’s digital sovereignty

An open letter signed by numerous experts, academics, and organizations has been published, urging Prime Minister Mark Carney to swiftly protect Canada’s digital sovereignty from potential influences of the Trump administration.

The letter highlights Carney’s emphasis on developing Canada as an energy superpower and promoting major projects but notes a lack of attention to securing the country’s digital economy.

Barry Appleton, a Toronto-based international trade lawyer and one of the signatories, pointed out that modern empires construct algorithms, emphasizing the importance of Canada governing the digital landscape to maintain its sovereign democracy.

The letter urges Carney to establish safeguards for social media, cloud systems, AI technologies, digital transactions, and other data vulnerable to exploitation by a Trump-led regime striving for technological dominance.

The letter stresses the urgency of action as currently, 90% of Canada’s internet traffic flows through the U.S. or U.S.-based tech giants, who profit significantly from Canadian digital creators without taxation.

Moreover, the influence of foreign social media platforms like TikTok, YouTube, Instagram, and Facebook on Canadian political discourse without local oversight raises concerns that prompt the need for securing Canada’s digital sovereignty.

Highlighting the dominance of U.S. companies like Amazon, Microsoft, and Google in controlling Canada’s cloud infrastructure, the letter underlines the limitations imposed by CUSMA trade rules on storing Canadians’ data within the country.

Proposals for Legislative Updates

Signatories of the letter include prominent figures such as Canadian writers Margaret Atwood and John Ralston Saul, filmmaker Atom Egoyan, and former Gov. Gen Adrienne Clarkson, along with organizations like the Canadian Civil Liberties Association and the Canadian Medical Association.

They advocate for measures to reinforce Canadian digital sovereignty, such as initiating public consultations with experts and citizens on the subject.

Following these consultations, the letter calls for an independent threat assessment on Canada’s digital infrastructure and updating legislation like the Consumer Privacy Protection Act and the Online Harms Act.

Additionally, the signatories urge the government to reconsider reviving the digital services tax (DST) and withdraw the Strong Borders Act, which they criticize for expanding surveillance powers and compromising privacy.

The DST, if implemented, would require major tech companies to pay a three percent tax on Canadian user revenues, aiming to ensure fair contributions to the Canadian economy.

Furthermore, the call to withdraw the Strong Borders Act stems from concerns about increased surveillance powers and potential privacy infringements associated with the proposed legislation.