Champagne to introduce amendments to Digital Charter Act

Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry François-Philippe Champagne is preparing a series of amendments to Bill C-27, the Digital Charter Implementation Act. He outlined his proposals while testifying at the House of Commons Industry Committee on Tuesday afternoon. Critics, both in and outside of Parliament, had been seeking changes to the legislation. His move shows the government is listening, Champagne declared. The bill is timely and is needed, he added. “I would like to point out the urgency and importance of this bill,” the minister said in French. “Our legislation was updated more than 20 years ago. This was well before Facebook, iPhone or Twitter even existed.” The amendments will recognize a fundamental right to privacy for all Canadians. Corporations will be forced to use plain language. Citizens will have data mobility rights and the right to have data deleted. Sections dealing with children and the internet will be toughened up, Champagne said. The Office of the Privacy Commissioner will see its powers strengthened, particularly when dealing with compliance issues. Commissioner Philippe Dufresne had been calling for alterations to C-27 earlier this year. The amended bill will define high impact artificial intelligence systems and there will be more structure in the section dealing with AI. Companies will have a clear set of obligations. The role of the AI and Data Commissioner will be clearly defined. The minister said the bill will not duplicate other laws and will have a section to ensure it is interoperable with other jurisdictions, both nationally and internationally. Opposition MPs welcomed the news of the amendments but regretted that hard copies of the changes will not be presented to them until the committee begins clause-by-clause study months from now. At a conference in Montreal the next day, Champagne uncorked a voluntary code of conduct about advanced generative AI systems. There are six core principles underpinning the code: accountability, safety, fairness and equity, transparency, human oversight and monitoring, and validity and robustness. At the committee hearing on Tuesday, Conservative industry critic Rick Perkins, stated that privacy issues would be considered at the beginning of the process. Later on MPs will consider the Artificial Intelligence and Data Act (AIDA), which is listed in part 3 of Bill C-27. Champagne said AIDA will protect people. “Passing AIDA will make Canada AI synonymous with safe AI around the world,” he asserted. Earlier an open letter signed by 19 organizations and 26 individuals was released which called on the Liberals to change AIDA. Calling the legislation “inadequate”, the letter said the section of the bill puts economic interests first. It called for five areas to be addressed: human rights, gaps in definitions, independence, consultation, and the use of AI in public and private sectors. Among the signatories to the missive were the Canadian Civil Liberties Association, OpenMedia, the Public Interest Advocacy Centre and Amnesty International. The minister urged quick consideration of the bill. “We can’t, in my opinion, lose this opportunity to update the privacy laws of Canadians,” he told the committee. –Reporting by Paul Park at ppark@thewirereport.ca and editing by Jenna Cocullo at jcocullo@thewirereport.ca

Champagne to introduce amendments to Digital Charter Act

News | September 27, 2023

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Champagne to introduce amendments to Digital Charter Act

News | September 27, 2023

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