Canadian Commission on Democratic Expression
The Canadian Commission on Democratic Expression is a three-year initiative that aims to respond to the democratic risks of digital technologies.
Each year, the Commission undertakes a six-month program of study and deliberation informed by expert testimony and custom research organized by the Centre for Media, Technology and Democracy.
Created by the Public Policy Forum and funded by the Government of Canada and the McConnell Foundation, the Commission is composed of a small group of eminent Canadians appointed annually to serve as Commissioners. It is also supported by national Citizens’ Assemblies led by MASS LBP, a Canadian organization that designs deliberative processes.
Featured Report
Year 3
From 2022-23, the Commission studied the topic of polarization with the aim of developing a better understanding of the issue in Canada. It took into account the global rise in polarization enabled by our digital ecosystem, with significant consequences for democracy, public trust, and social cohesion—both online and off—while at the same time reflecting on significant divergence within the research community about the extent, form, causes and implications of this phenomenon.
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∘ Aengus Bridgman, McGill University
∘ Elizabeth Dubois & Guillermo Renna, University of Ottawa
∘ Stephanie Carvin, Carleton University
∘ Wendy H.K Chun, Simon Fraser University
∘ Erica Ifill, Not In My Colour
∘ Eric Merkley, University of Toronto
∘ Sonja Solomun, McGill University
∘ Heidi Tworek, University of British Columbia
∘ Riley Yesno, University of Toronto
Year 2
From 2021-2022, the Commission explored a range of policies being debated around the world to make online systems more transparent and accountable to the public interest, including issues like data transparency, differential harms, financial disclosure, privacy, risk and impact assessments, data portability and interoperability, and competition.
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∘ Taylor Owen, Beaverbrook Chair in Media, Ethics and Communications and Associate Professor, Max Bell School of Public Policy, McGill University, Commission Co-Chair
∘ The Right Honourable Beverley McLachlin, PC, CC, Former Chief Justice of Canada, Commission Co-Chair
∘ Rick Anderson, Principal, Earnscliffe Strategy Group
∘ Wendy Chun, Canada 150 Research Chair in New Media, Simon Fraser University
∘ Nathalie Des Rosiers, Principal, Massey College, Full Professor, Faculty of Law (Common Law) University of Ottawa, Distinguished Visitor, Faculty of Law, University of Toronto
∘ Amira Elghawaby, Director of Programming and Outreach, Canadian Race Relations Foundation
∘ Merelda Fiddler-Potter, Vanier Scholar and PhD. Candidate, Johnson Shoyama Graduate School of Public Policy
∘ Philip N. Howard, Director, Programme on Democracy and Technology and Professor of Internet Studies, Balliol College, University of Oxford
∘ Vivek Krishnamurthy, Samuelson-Glushko Professor of Law at the University of Ottawa
Year 1
From 2020-2021, the Commission focused on online hate and convened diverse international perspectives on key issues such as legal aspects of hate speech and freedom of expression in Canada, targeted online hate communication, vulnerable communities, public health mis- and disinformation, technological infrastructures of online harm, and technologically-facilitate gender-based violence online.
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∘ Rick Anderson, Principal, Earnscliffe Strategy Group
∘ Julie Caron-Malenfant, Director General, Institut du Nouveau Monde
∘ Adam Dodek, Dean, Faculty of Law, University of Ottawa
∘ Amira Elghawaby, Journalist and Human Rights Advocate
∘ Jameel Jaffer, Executive Director, Knight First Amendment Institute, Columbia University
∘ Jean La Rose, Former Chief Executive Officer, Aboriginal Peoples Television Network
∘ The Right Honourable Beverley McLachlin, P.C., C.C., Former Chief Justice of Canada
