As the House Industry and Technology Committee wrapped up witness testimony on the federal government’s privacy and artificial intelligence legislation, former BlackBerry executive Jim Balsillie added his voice to the growing chorus calling for it to be sent “back to the drawing board,” alongside the Assembly of First Nations, which says the lack of nation-to-nation consultation could land the government in court over the bill. On Feb.
’s national co-ordinator, told he doesn’t consider his organization’s Aug. 25, 2022, meeting with Surdas Mohit, ISED’s director of AI and data policy, at which the organization raised its concerns after the bill had been tabled, to be a legitimate consultation. national co-ordinator Tim McSorley says civil society concerns that Bill-C27 is 'not fit for purpose' and that AIDA needed to be removed from the legislation and sent back to the drawing board has only been cemented over the course of witness testimony at committee. photograph by Andrew Meade “Consultation isn’t putting out a bill and getting a reaction,” McSorley said.
is still pushing for members of the committee to “do what they can” to amend the legislation and make the strongest possible recommendations to improve AIDA, and failing that at committee, attempt to do so again at third reading or vote against it. “We think that it’s up to the committee to act,” McSorley said, noting that the Liberals do not have a majority on the committee.