Dec 5, 2025
First keynote speaker announced for Canada’s 7th annual democracy summit
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
TORONTO – December 5, 2025 – DemocracyXChange (DXC), Canada’s democracy summit, is pleased to announce that acclaimed author, activist and journalist Cory Doctorow will open the 7th annual DemocracyXChange Summit, taking place April 16–18, 2026 in Toronto.
Doctorow will deliver his keynote titled Disenshittification Nation, exploring how Canada can turn the upheaval of U.S.A./Canada relations over the past year into a strategic opportunity to rebuild its tech sector, strengthen digital sovereignty and position itself as a global technology leader. He will outline how Canada can revitalize its innovation landscape, redirect wealth away from entrenched U.S.A. monopolies and assert policymaking autonomy.
As a leading voice on platform monopolies, technological power and the degradation of digital systems—an arc he has popularly termed enshittification—Doctorow will connect the future of Canada’s technology sector to the broader civic questions at the heart of DXC26’s theme, Side by Side: Building an economy that serves democracy. His ideas frame technology not simply as an economic driver, but as a critical pillar of democratic resilience, civic trust and shared prosperity.
Doctorow’s talk will launch three days of summit programming focused on securing economic sovereignty, expanding opportunity and reimagining prosperity as the shared foundation of a thriving democratic society. DXC26 will gather leaders and changemakers from public institutions, media, labour, Indigenous governance, technology, academia, business and more.
Tickets are on sale now at: https://www.democracyxchange.org/event-details/dxc26
About Cory Doctorow
Cory Doctorow (craphound.com) is a science fiction author, activist and journalist whose work examines the intersections of technology, markets and democratic accountability. He is the author of dozens of books, including Enshittification: Why Everything Suddenly Got Worse and What to Do About It, Picks and Shovels, The Bezzle, Walkaway, The Internet Con: How to Seize the Means of Computation, Chokepoint Capitalism and the bestselling Little Brother series. He was inducted into the Canadian Science Fiction and Fantasy Hall of Fame in 2020.
ABOUT DXC CO-PRESENTERS
OCAD University
OCAD University (OCAD U), located in downtown Toronto, is Canada’s largest and oldest art and design university. It is a world-famous hub for art, design, digital media, research, innovation and creativity. Students benefit from hands-on studio learning and have access to state-of-the-art shops and studios for both traditional and digital creation. Alongside a diverse and supportive team of instructors and peers, students gain employable skills. Graduates work in different sectors such as urban planning, environmental design, gaming, film, animation, publishing, illustration, graphic design, visual arts and arts administration.
For inquiries or an interview, please contact Karen McCarthy, Director of Communications and Media, at 514-826-0597 or kmccarthy@ocadu.ca
Web: OCAD University | X: @OCAD | Facebook: ocaduniversity |
Instagram: @ocaduniversity | TikTok: @ocaduniversity
The Dais at Toronto Metropolitan University
The Dais is a public policy and leadership think tank at Toronto Metropolitan University, working at the intersection of technology, education and democracy to build shared prosperity and citizenship for Canada.
For more information or to arrange an interview, please contact: Catherine Amburgey, communications and marketing lead, the Dais catherine.amburgey@torontomu.ca.
Open Democracy Project
Open Democracy Project is working to strengthen and evolve the practice of democracy in Canada through contributing to the growth of Canada’s democracy sector. It is a not-for-profit incorporated in Canada and governed by a volunteer Board of Directors. Open Democracy Project’s goal is to foster collaborative and sustainable multi-stakeholder programs that convene, connect and share knowledge to build democratic resilience and protect democratic values.
OpenDemocracy.ca | @OpenDemocracyCA
About DemocracyXChange
DemocracyXChange (DXC) connects, celebrates and equips people who are taking action to strengthen democracy. Co-produced by OCAD U, The Open Democracy Project and the Dais at TMU, Canada’s premier annual democracy summit takes place in Toronto from April 16–18, 2026. Join us for three days of dynamic programming that includes inspiring keynote speakers, thought‑provoking expert panels, and hands‑on participatory workshops; created to both examine and tackle today’s most urgent civic issues, and to explore the 2026 theme “Side by Side: Building an economy that serves democracy.”
Web: democracyxchange.org | Instagram: @democracyxchange | X: @dxcsummit | Facebook: dxcsummit | LinkedIn: democracyxchange | @dxcsummit.bsky.social | #DXC25
-30-
For more information or to arrange interviews, please contact:
Sue Holland
Communications and Marketing Lead, DXC
416-729-7834
Presented by
DemocracyXChange is a collaboration of:
