Science and Research Committee on Feb. 2nd, 2026

[Maxime Blanchette-Joncas, Bloc, Rimouski—La Matapédia, QC]

Thank you, Madam Chair, for your leniency and co-operation. I also want to thank my colleagues.

I will continue with my five minutes. I'll ask my questions of the deputy ministers.

First, can you submit a written response to the committee with all analyses, notes, legal opinions, risk assessments and policy documents on data sovereignty, dependence on foreign infrastructure or platforms, extraterritoriality of foreign laws and risks to national security, democracy, public safety, privacy and fundamental rights?

Second, can you submit a written response confirming that, for each of the issues raised, no analysis, assessment or opinion was carried out when that was the case?

Third, can you submit a written response with any documents assessing the potentially irreversible impacts of AI technology and infrastructure choices, including concentration of computing capacity, dependence on foreign platforms and strategic data collection, as well as documents outlining the policy options assessed and then discarded and the reasons they were rejected?

Fourth, can you submit a written response, along with any documents outlining whether there are controls, suspensions or shutdowns of AI systems deemed dangerous or high risk, as well as any analysis, notes or correspondence expressing reservations, disagreements or warnings, including ones that were rejected?

Fifth, can you submit a written response with all documents relating to agreements, contracts with Canadian or foreign companies, public costs, financial commitments and long-term obligations, legal compliance, including with the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms and privacy laws, impacts on the provinces, including Quebec, internal timelines, monitoring and evaluation mechanisms and the identification of decision-making bodies that approved the directions chosen?

Those are my five questions, which touch on several major aspects of the artificial intelligence strategy.

Gentlemen, I would now like to hear you tell us verbally what you have suggested to the government in terms of the legislative framework that should support the strategy. According to the minister, it should be rolled out very soon.

[Mark Schaan]

I thank the member for his questions.

Something should be pointed out from the outset. There are a lot of Canadian laws that currently deal with topics related to digital affairs in Canada. In particular, there is now a privacy law at the federal level, but there are also privacy laws in the territories and provinces that protect the personal data and information of all Canadians. That is fundamental.

The minister has indicated that he wants to modernize the bill. That said, it should be pointed out that these laws are currently in place in Canada and they continue to play an important role in protecting Canadians.

It should also be pointed out that there are also a lot of sectoral and other laws that provide Canadians with digital protection. They include health legislation in all provinces and territories, as well as the Canada Health Act.

There are also sectoral laws in the area of finance. For example, there are the guidelines published by the Office of the Superintendent of Financial Institutions, or OSFI, which is responsible for governing the conduct of organizations and businesses affected by the Bank Act. Other financial protection laws are in place here in Canada, some of which are transport-related.

There aren't really any areas without any laws. There are many current laws that affect these aspects.

The purpose of the bill, along with the strategy, is to modernize the Privacy Act, including areas that specifically focus on artificial intelligence.

[Maxime Blanchette-Joncas, Bloc, Rimouski—La Matapédia, QC]

Thank you.

Are we behind or ahead when it comes to the legislative framework for regulating artificial intelligence in Canada?

[Mark Schaan]

That's kind of a tough question, because other countries' approach and regulations are set up in different environments and for different systems.

[Maxime Blanchette-Joncas, Bloc, Rimouski—La Matapédia, QC]

Deputy Minister, I have to wrap up.

If, tomorrow morning, there were a dangerous artificial intelligence system, would we have the legislative authority to immediately suspend its use?

Is there a clear shutdown mechanism in the act to stop it if it is harmful to the public?

[Mark Schaan]

It depends on the type of harm and the sector, because there are a lot of laws that affect digital activities. I can't give a hypothetical answer about all technologies in every area.

[Maxime Blanchette-Joncas, Bloc, Rimouski—La Matapédia, QC]

I would like the witness to also send us an answer in writing, Madam Chair.

[The Chair, Liberal, Salma Zahid]

I'm sorry for interrupting. The time is up for MP Blanchette-Joncas.

I really want to thank our witnesses. I'm sorry for all of this. You had to wait here, but I'm really thankful for all the work you do on behalf of all Canadians.

Before we end this meeting, I want to point out some things for all members' information.

On Monday, February 9, we will have committee business to determine the committee's next studies. The clerk has sent a request to all members, which came in from Ms. Jekaterina Rojaka, a member of Parliament in Lithuania and chair of the Canada-Lithuania friendship group at the Parliament of the Republic of Lithuania. She will be visiting Ottawa. MP Rojaka will be accompanied by the Lithuanian ambassador to Canada. They welcome the opportunity to discuss enhancing bilateral co-operation in science and research between our two countries, including within the EU-Canada framework and to exchange views on the steps already taken, as well as on the potential avenues for further development of our relations.

If the committee agrees, this meeting can take place on Monday, February 9, 2026. It will be the members' decision whether this meeting should be formal or informal.

Is there any discussion or any suggestions for that? Do the members agree to accept the invitation?

MP Baldinelli.

[Tony Baldinelli, Conservative, Niagara Falls—Niagara-on-the-Lake, ON]

Madam Chair, you just mentioned that at the same time as that February 9 meeting, we'll be having our future business discussions.

[The Chair, Liberal, Salma Zahid]

Yes. If members agree to meet with the group, it can be either formal or informal, and we can have one hour with them and one hour of committee business.

[Tony Baldinelli, Conservative, Niagara Falls—Niagara-on-the-Lake, ON]

Perhaps we could do it following committee business, so we could have our committee business and then, in an informal manner, have our meeting. Ultimately, we're here for meeting purposes first, and then, if we agree, we can do the meeting afterwards. I don't want to lose that February 9 opportunity.

[The Chair, Liberal, Salma Zahid]

Are there any further suggestions? Are members okay with having our committee business for an hour and then having the meeting?

MP Blanchette-Joncas.

[Maxime Blanchette-Joncas, Bloc, Rimouski—La Matapédia, QC]

Before I finish, Madam Chair, have we received a response from the interpretation team regarding the resources available for the House?

[The Chair, Liberal, Salma Zahid]

Yes, we have some resources available, but I think it was mutually agreed by all members that we would end this meeting after your five minutes.

[Maxime Blanchette-Joncas, Bloc, Rimouski—La Matapédia, QC]

Until what time are the resources available?

[The Chair, Liberal, Salma Zahid]

The resources are available for a total of three hours—whatever time we have exhausted already, but no more than three hours total.

[The Chair, Liberal, Salma Zahid]

MP Baldinelli.

[Tony Baldinelli, Conservative, Niagara Falls—Niagara-on-the-Lake, ON]

I missed that.

[The Chair, Liberal, Salma Zahid]

MP Blanchette-Joncas was asking until what time the resources are available. The resources are available for a total of three hours. Whatever time we have exhausted already comes out of that. They will not be available beyond three hours, but I think everyone agreed mutually that we would end this after five minutes with MP Blanchette-Joncas.

MP Blanchette-Joncas.

[Maxime Blanchette-Joncas, Bloc, Rimouski—La Matapédia, QC]

Madam Chair, did you consult with the committee members? You mentioned that there was an agreement that we would have only five minutes for the second hour of the study. I'm not aware of such an agreement.

[Taleeb Noormohamed, Liberal, Vancouver Granville, BC]

That's what we had agreed, isn't it?

[The Chair, Liberal, Salma Zahid]

That's what was suggested. Before we got that information, it was suggested by MP Baldinelli that we have your five minutes and then we adjourn the meeting. No one raised any objection at that time, so that was the mutual agreement of the members of the committee.

MP Noormohamed.

[Taleeb Noormohamed, Liberal, Vancouver Granville, BC]

I'm just trying to understand. We did what we thought we had agreed to do, which was have an extra round. We have the officials. I know they have to go.

I would propose that we adjourn the meeting. We have the minister coming. We don't want to lose that opportunity. We don't want to do that. Now that everyone's been given their fair time—Mr. Blanchette-Joncas got to have the full five minutes—and in the spirit of continuing to work together, we should adjourn the meeting and make sure that we're ready to fight another day.

[The Chair, Liberal, Salma Zahid]

Is it the will of committee members to adjourn the meeting?

MP Blanchette-Joncas.

[Maxime Blanchette-Joncas, Bloc, Rimouski—La Matapédia, QC]

I rise on a question of privilege, Madam Chair.