Good afternoon.
I am pleased to appear before you on behalf of the Canadian Chamber of Commerce alongside my colleague, Ulrike Bahr-Gedalia.
The Canadian Chamber of Commerce represents more than 400 chambers of commerce and more than 200,000 businesses of all sizes, from coast to coast.
From the outset, we would like to state our support for modernizing privacy laws and for introducing guardrails regarding AI. We welcome the government's efforts to strengthen data protection for all Canadians, particularly children. CPPA must move forward to provide business certainty as soon as possible, while allowing for some amendments. There is concern about Canada's equivalency with the EU, and the patchwork of provincial privacy legislation that is emerging in the interim.
Regarding AIDA, we believe that a more robust consultation process is required to properly address AI regulation needs in Canada. It's critical that our AI regulations are precise enough to provide important guardrails for safety, while allowing for our businesses to harness AI's full potential responsibly. This is especially relevant in the face of cross-sectoral skills shortages and SMEs that have dealt with one challenge after another.
Through Mr. Champagne's letter of October 20, we were pleased to hear that the government would address some major concerns related to the Artificial Intelligence and Data Act through their amendments, but we cannot substantially comment on these until they are made public and we've had time to consult with members.
Given the House Speaker's 2022 ruling that voting on parts 1 and 2 would be separate from part 3, AIDA, we urge the committee to contemplate how this avenue could allow for CPPA to move forward without delay, while making way for more in-depth consultations and input on the AI act to take place.
AI policy is indeed complex. Having the committee attempt to study privacy elements at the same time as quickly-changing AI elements doesn't provide the conditions for good policy to materialize. It's impossible to deny that AI regulations have become a global issue that's evolving rapidly. It's imperative that Canada not regulate in a vacuum. With major AI policy developments happening weekly, including the White House executive order on AI just yesterday, Canada must ensure we're taking steps to align our regulations accordingly. If not, organizations will have to contend with unique laws, making our country a less attractive destination for business.
I'll now turn it over to Ulrike.