European Union Hub | DemocracyXChange

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The AI, Democracy & Digital Rights Forum is a symposium being convened under the EU Hub Ontario and organized by CSPC to explore the intersection of technology, democracy, and human rights. The event is an opportunity to hear from Canadian stakeholders, and learn their views about the first EU-Canada Digital Partnership Council, with the view to strengthen democratic institutions, civic participation and bilateral cooperation in the digital field. More concretely, it will foster cross-sector dialogue between European and Canadian leaders on how to support the EU-Canada Digital Partnership deliverables in the areas of artificial intelligence and digital innovation while safeguarding ethical and legal standards.

Focus Areas:

Ethical, social, and legal dimensions of digital governance
Comparative analysis of EU and Canadian regulatory frameworks and pro-innovation initiatives
AI regulation, data sovereignty, and digital standards
Youth, media, and civil-society engagement in digital governance

Purpose:

Deepen mutual understanding of how AI impacts democracy and public trust
Identify shared EU–Canada priorities for responsible digital innovation
Encourage partnerships that connect policymakers, researchers, businesses, and citizens

The Forum is free of charge. However, due to limited space, registration is required.

This panel examines how artificial intelligence is reshaping democratic governance and public trust, through a comparative EU–Canada lens. Speakers will discuss strategies such as the EU AI Continent Action Plan and Canada’s upcoming strategy, focusing on how democratic safeguards, accountability, and innovation can be advanced together. The discussion will highlight shared challenges and opportunities for transatlantic alignment on AI governance.

Geneviève Tuts

EU Ambassador to Canada

Samir Chhabra

Director General of Marketplace Framework Policy at Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada (ISED)

Bruce Schneier

Internationally Renowned Security Technologist & Author

Dr. Tesh W. Dagne

Associate Professor and Ontario Research Chair in Governing AI

MODERATOR: Marium Hamid

Manager of Partnerships, the Dais at TMU

Panel 1:
Governing AI for Democracy
From Principles to Practice: EU–Canada Approaches to AI Governance

This panel will explore how to foster trusted AI adoption among small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), start-ups and across key sectors of the economy. As SMEs are central to innovation, job creation, and economic resilience, the discussion will focus on the opportunities and challenges they face in adopting AI tools responsibly and competitively.

Speakers will examine barriers to technology uptake, including access to skills, financing, regulatory clarity, and digital infrastructure, as well as the role of public policy, industry associations, and innovation ecosystems in supporting adoption. The session will also address how Canada and the European Union can collaborate to ensure that AI deployment among SMEs advances productivity and competitiveness while upholding ethical standards, data protection, and democratic values.

By highlighting practical pathways to responsible AI integration, this panel will consider how to build trust, strengthen digital capacity, and accelerate inclusive innovation across the SME landscape.

Claudia Krywiak

President and CEO, Ontario Centre of Innovation (OCI)

Namir Anani, P.Eng.

President & CEO, Information and Communications Technology Council (ICTC)

Victoria Lennox

CEO, Women's Enterprise Organizations of Canada (WEOC)

MODERATOR: Costas Kapsouropoulos

Digital and Science Counsellor at the EU Delegation to Canada

Panel 2:
SMEs, Start-ups and Trusted AI Adoption

As AI systems become embedded in core economic and social infrastructures, the role of the private sector is central to ensuring that innovation aligns with democratic values. This panel examines how industry actors in Canada and the European Union are developing and deploying AI solutions that are trustworthy, transparent, and accountable.

The discussion will explore how policy frameworks, including the EU’s AI Continent Action Plan and Canada’s forthcoming AI Strategy, can enable innovation while safeguarding fundamental rights, privacy, and public trust. Particular attention will be given to how companies can operationalize responsible AI practices in product design, risk management, data governance, and platform accountability.

Ashley Rose Mehlenbacher

Professor and Canada Research Chair in Science, Health, and Technology Communication at the University of Waterloo

Jutta Treviranus

Director & Professor, Inclusive Design Research Centre, OCAD University

Panel 3:
Digital Rights & the Public Sphere
Trustworthy AI and Value-Based Innovation

Schedule

One-Day Event | April 16 | Afternoon

12:00 - 12:30PM

Welcome (Light lunch and refreshments provided)

12:30 - 1:00PM

Opening remarks + EU – Canada policy dialogue on AI governance

1:15 - 2:15PM

Panel 1: Governing AI for Democracy

2:15 - 2:30PM

Coffee Break

2:30 - 3:30PM

Panel 2: SMEs, Start-ups and Trusted AI Adoption

3:30 - 4:00PM