In the last century, power flowed through railways, shipping routes and telegraph lines. Today, it is all digital

You can save this article by registering for free here. Or sign-in if you have an account.

Technology has not only permeated our lives, but our government, as well. Foreign tech companies control the systems that allow government employees to communicate and store the personal data of Canadians. Now, an increasing number of decisions are being placed in the hands of opaque AI models. In a new series, international trade lawyer Barry Appleton explores how Ottawa’s lack of control over its IT infrastructure is eroding Canada’s digital sovereignty.

Enjoy the latest local, national and international news.

Enjoy the latest local, national and international news.

Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience.

Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience.

On a typical Monday morning, Canadian government epidemiologists log into their workstations. They are analyzing Canadian health data, shaping public policy for 40-million citizens. But the algorithms that process their findings were designed in California. The cloud servers crunching the numbers are subject to American law. Even when the data never leaves Canadian soil, it can still be accessed under Washington’s CLOUD Act.

This newsletter tackles hot topics with boldness, verve and wit. (Subscriber-exclusive edition on Fridays)

By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc.

A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder.

The next issue of Platformed will soon be in your inbox.

We encountered an issue signing you up. Please try again

Interested in more newsletters? Browse here.

The doctors likely do not know this. Their supervisor likely does not know this. The deputy minister who signed the cloud contract for the federal government probably does not know this, either.

To the public, the system looks Canadian: Canadian websites, government seals, the familiar language of service delivery. But the reality is stark — every click crosses a border into someone else’s jurisdiction, optimized for someone else’s interests.

These scientists think they are serving Canadian democracy. In reality, they are operating inside someone else’s jurisdiction.

This is sovereignty in the algorithmic age: not about soldiers at borders, but about who governs the cloud contracts, the inference engines and the artificial intelligence logic that quietly structures national decision-making.

Canada is losing jurisdiction........

© National Post