Industry committee  If we don't come forward with a national data strategy—data is crosscutting, and it affects not only our prosperity but also our norms, our democracy, our security and our mental health—then I think we'll lose our sovereignty as a country in security, prosperity and democracy. I can't think of a more important policy priority. It's very important to know that about 250,000 global patents have been filed just on AI alone in the past 20 years.

Procedure and House Affairs committee  Power, is that Canada would be a great case study for your next blog on how governments try to impose their will on a parliamentary democracy. My question to you pivots to the issue of Standing Orders. One of the things we heard in the last panel, including the chair of the British PROC system, is the changes to the Standing Orders, and the fact that now at the height of a pandemic is not the time to look at any permanent changes with respect to the COVID-19 crisis as it relates to changing the Standing Orders in Parliament.

Procedure and House Affairs committee  When I speak in the House, I know that if there are other parliamentarians who experience the same thing in their riding or hear similar stories from their constituents, it leads to conversations that could mean collaboration and working on issues together. I think that is fundamental to democracy and a big challenge in a virtual setting. Maybe I could start with Ms. Griffiths on this. I'm just wondering how other parliaments are addressing these issues. I know there was a discussion about having sunset clauses—and I think an incremental approach makes sense—and also the ability of all recognized parties to have a voice in what change has happened, so that we can see a balance of power.

Procedure and House Affairs committee  For authoritarian regimes, it's going to be very easy to use our cellphones to see if we love or hate the politicians when they make their speeches. We need to prevent those situations. Canada has a very strong democracy. I am not saying this because of Canada, but clearly there are countries that are using the people's fears to restrict liberties and freedoms, and of course restricting parliaments.

Procedure and House Affairs committee  As we know the importance of our responsibilities, we also know that when it happens, when parliaments are suspended or reduced, our capacity to promote legislation, for example, emergency legislation, to adopt budgets or even to exercise our responsibility of overseeing the government is also reduced. It is affected, and that also affects democracy. I would like to review a little of what IPU has been receiving from the national parliaments. First are the remote working methods in parliament. The current pandemic has caused significant disruption to parliaments around the world, but with it has come a wave of unexpected innovation.

Procedure and House Affairs committee  I think there has been a lot of focus on countries like Hungary, where Prime Minister Orbán has used the pandemic as an excuse to extend the powers of the government. I think the real risk for most parliaments is not that head-on assault to democracy, but a slow erosion and a subtle shift in the balance of power that we don't actually notice at the time, but that does change the ability of a parliament to hold government to account.

Sittings of the House  For example, in recent weeks, we had 74 meetings of different committees, 580 witnesses and 23 appearances by ministers. This is crucial, because this is our democracy. We will always defend our democracy at the same time that we respect the directions by our health experts. We are here to answer questions, and we are pleased to answer those questions.

COVID-19 Pandemic committee  We've been sitting four days a week over the past number of weeks to continue to engage in the kind of back-and-forth that is essential in our democracy. At the same time, I do want to highlight that peaceful protest is a fundamental right in Canada. Thousands of Canadians spoke out over the past week, and it was important for me to be part of them, to hear them and to demonstrate my support.

Proceedings of the House and Committees  Our government firmly believes in this institution's central and fundamental role and in the fundamental role of democracy in our society. That is why the motion we are moving today is reasonable, ensures accountability and transparency, and follows public health guidelines. This motion strikes a good balance.

Procedure and House Affairs committee  That is how important it is that we protect our democracy from that kind of a threat. I hope that clarifies where we're at. If we were to somehow divorce these two things, the first one may be able to come to a vote. However, as long as I feel there's any possibility that there's enough support for it to pass, there's no way I will allow the potential for our democracy to be removed from us in that way.

Human Resources committee  Before I begin, I just want to take a moment to recognize our current social context and acknowledge that co-operatives are built on the values of self-help, self-responsibility, democracy, equality, equity and solidarity. It is with that value of solidarity that I say as long as systemic racism exists in our communities, we must and we will work to dismantle this injustice.

COVID-19 Pandemic committee  Mr. Chair, the Burmese government told the world that they were heading towards democracy, and gladly took millions of dollars from Canadian taxpayers. They continue to persecute the Rohingya and other minorities. What actions will this government take to increase the Magnitsky Law on the leaders of that regime?

COVID-19 Pandemic committee  I'd also like, on behalf of the government, to offer her our full support and collaboration. Her role is essential to our democracy, and we are all eager to work with her. The Auditor General is more than welcome to share her concerns directly with the government, and I can assure her that my colleague the Minister of Finance, the President of the Treasury Board and all of us will take these concerns into account.

COVID-19 Pandemic committee  We can wear masks, we can be responsible, so that we can provide proper oversight, so committees can reconvene and we can do the really important work of democracy in overseeing this spending.

COVID-19 Pandemic committee  I'd just like to inform the minister that they do not have a majority government, and Parliament is still part of our democracy. This COVID committee does not replace Parliament, and it's sad to see the arrogance and the hypocrisy of Justin Trudeau, as well as this Liberal government. Here we've seen an area where the government has been really unaccountable, and that's in infrastructure spending.