By: Melody Ma
Jan 13, 2026
Meet members of our Program Advisory Committee and learn what conversations they’re most looking forward to, how they see democracy evolving in Canada and globally in 2026, and what excites them about DXC26.
At DemocracyXChange, our summit programming is shaped each year by voices from across the country and across disciplines, political ideologies, and areas of expertise. These independent advisors, collectively known as the Program Advisory Committee (PAC), provide invaluable input, challenge our assumptions, and help sharpen the direction of our work.
The DemocracyXChange 2026 summit returns from April 16 to 18, 2026, in Toronto, with Cory Doctorow, author, journalist and activist, as the opening keynote speaker. This year’s theme is Side by Side: Building an Economy That Serves Democracy, developed with guidance from our PAC. The programming is already shaping up to be a robust dialogue on how leaders and practitioners can rethink the role of the economy in supporting democracy, while exploring the ways we can work together to secure economic sovereignty, expand opportunity, and deepen civic trust in Canada and beyond.
With DXC26 just months away, we checked in with several PAC members to hear about what conversations they’re most looking forward to at the summit, how they see democracy evolving in Canada and globally in 2026, and what excites them about being part of DXC.
Manager of Alumni Relations and Community Engagement, Rideau Hall Foundation
What excites you about being a part of DemocracyXChange?
What excites me most about being part of DemocracyXChange is the opportunity to think, work, and collaborate alongside people who are deeply committed to strengthening democracy in practical, grounded ways. DXC consistently creates space for honest (and sometimes challenging!) conversations—not just about what’s broken, but about what’s possible. I value how the community brings together people who are actively doing the work across sectors and spaces, approaching democratic renewal from different angles but with a shared sense of purpose. For me, DXC is about stepping into a space that supports long-term thinking, collective problem-solving, and real collaboration. Showing up means adding your voice to a shared civic imagination—and helping turn collective ideas into real-world action.
From your perspective, what key conversations should participants look forward to at the upcoming DXC26 summit on the future of the economy and democracy?
As we look ahead to DXC26, some of the most important conversations will sit at the intersection of economic systems, democratic trust, and lived experience. Economic precarity, affordability pressures, and inequality shape how people experience democracy—who feels heard, who feels excluded, and who feels disillusioned. I’m particularly excited by conversations about how economic decision-making can become more participatory, transparent, and accountable, and how democratic institutions can better reflect people’s lived realities. There’s also a critical discussion to be had about belonging—who is included in economic conversations, who is missing, and how those gaps weaken democratic legitimacy. DXC26 feels like a moment to move beyond diagnosing problems and toward building the coalitions, tools, and strategies needed to strengthen economic justice and democratic participation together.
"DXC26 feels like a moment to move beyond diagnosing problems and toward building the coalitions, tools, and strategies needed to strengthen economic justice and democratic participation together."
Amanda Kingsley Malo is a civic educator, changemaker, and founder of PoliticsNOW.
Director of Policy Advocacy, Partnerships, and Youth Leadership, Plan International Canada
What excites you about being a part of DemocracyXChange?
What I am most excited about: what will this era and its ripple effects mean for our youngest generations?
We are right now living with the largest generation of youth in the history of the globe, ever. This moment for democracy and economic prosperity will be consequential and life-changing for the 1.8 billion young people between the ages of 10-24 globally.
"We are right now living with the largest generation of youth in the history of the globe, ever. This moment for democracy and economic prosperity will be consequential and life-changing for the 1.8 billion young people between the ages of 10-24 globally."
What legacy do we want to leave behind, and how can and should our democratic institutions evolve to meet the moment?
I’m looking forward to unpacking these topics and more at this year’s summit and not just stop at ideas, I’m keen on the types of initiatives and solutions that will be sparked as a result.
How do you see democracy evolving in Canada and globally as we look ahead to 2026?
We are living through an era of polycrisis—simultaneously grappling with many intersecting challenges that make the promise of democracy more fragile. This is exactly the moment we need to double down on our institutions and make them fit for purpose, ensuring they meet the moment.
From Parliament Hill to the United Nations, from the doctor’s office to the lecture hall, we need all pillars of society to activate democracy beyond election cycles. After all, democracy is not a spectator sport. The next era of democracy means leaning into our values of collective action and creating mechanisms that truly ensure the will of the people is brought to life daily.
A bright light on the horizon—the transformational approach to fostering transparency and community building demonstrated by New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani not only on the campaign trail, but also in governing.
This is the future. Let’s get ready.
Anjum Sultana is the Director of Policy Advocacy, Partnerships, and Youth Leadership of Plan International Canada.
Editor-at-large, The Hub
What excites you about being a part of DemocracyXChange?
I've been part of DemocracyXChange many times over the years. It's a great opportunity to step back and ask some fundamental questions about our democracy. What's its purpose? How's it working? What can be improved? What do we ultimately need and want from it? DemocracyXChange is a gathering of people committed to these questions from different backgrounds and perspectives, and as a self-identified conservative, I've welcomed the chance to hear from others and contribute my own ideas to the conversation.
From your perspective, what key conversations should participants look forward to at the upcoming DXC26 summit on the future of the economy and democracy?
For me, the biggest issue is the practice of pluralism and doing it well. Our society is becoming increasingly diverse and heterogenous and that brings with it a multiplicity of views on big, fundamental questions ranging from Canada's place in the world to how we think about the good life and human flourishing. Our pluralism has been tested in recent years and it will continue to face challenges in the future. What are our shared commitments? What, if any, limits should there be to the practice of pluralism? How do we define them? And how ultimately do we live peacefully and prosperously with each other? It seems to me that almost every other issue—economic policy, education, the environment, and more—rests on us getting these foundational questions right.
"Our pluralism has been tested in recent years and it will continue to face challenges in the future. What are our shared commitments? What, if any, limits should there be to the practice of pluralism? How do we define them? And how ultimately do we live peacefully and prosperously with each other?"
Sean Speer is the co-founder and editor-at-large at The Hub.
Global Community Lead, Mozilla Foundation
What excites you about being a part of DemocracyXChange?
DemocracyXChange is a forum where folks of various professional and lived experience convene to unpack the most pressing civic issues facing not just Canada, but the world. I love that the conference creates a platform for both prominent voices that are globally recognized, but also grassroots leaders who are lesser known but may still be doing equally impactful work. This year, I am really excited to see that the conference will make an explicit connection between democracy-building and economic sovereignty. This year's intentional merging of topics related to democracy and economy ensures that we don't see both as mutually exclusive.
From your perspective, what key conversations should participants look forward to at the upcoming DXC26 summit on the future of the economy and democracy?
A report from Canada’s Media Ecosystem Observatory found that in the lead-up to the 2025 federal election, more than one quarter of Canadians were exposed to sophisticated fake political content. After the election, more than three-quarters of Canadians reported they believe misinformation impacted the election. To make things worse, we know that misinformation impacts already marginalized groups disproportionately. In recent years, the rise of AI-generated content in civic spaces has been deepening barriers to civic engagement for under-represented voters, for whom civic engagement programming has been traditionally underfunded in Canada. I'm looking forward to conversations at DemocracyXChange about how we can uplift responsible AI values — especially in civic spaces — without compromising the economic growth associated with Canada's tech and AI sector.
"I'm looking forward to conversations at DemocracyXChange about how we can uplift responsible AI values — especially in civic spaces — without compromising the economic growth associated with Canada's tech and AI sector."
Seher Shafiq leads global community engagement for Mozilla Foundation (the non-profit behind Firefox), where she focuses on building a better tech future that puts people first.
Taken together, these reflections from members of the Program Advisory Committee demonstrate why convening at the DemocracyXChange summit continues to matter, and why a focused convening on how the economy can serve democracy is especially relevant this year.
From rethinking how economic power is distributed, to confronting a polycrisis reshaping democratic life, to centring the stakes for the largest generation of young people the world has ever known, these insights from members of the Program Advisory Committee point toward a summit defined by both urgency and possibility.
Join us at the DemocracyXChange summit from April 16 to 18, 2026 in Toronto for three days of intriguing and inspiring conversations. We look forward to being in dialogue with you as we work together to build a resilient democracy supported by economic security.
Written by: Melody Ma
Ecosystem & Strategic Engagement Lead, DXC
Presented by
DemocracyXChange is a collaboration of:
