e-5117 (Information and privacy)

Petition to the Prime Minister

• Cyberwar is real, and AI military weapons are now being deployed;
• The Auditor General of Canada has stated that Canada is one of the worst nations able to defend against Cyber Attacks;
• On ransomware (corporate blackmail and extorsion) per population, Canada is the second highest attacked in the world;
• Personal computer hacking, and identity theft exposes private and confidential information, leaving people vulnerable;
• All of Canada’s critical and vital infrastructure has come under cyber-attack, such as medical systems (e.g. Lifelabs), financial systems (e.g. CRA), our cities (e.g. Hamilton, ON), as well as school boards, water treatment systems, electrical power systems - all demonstrating our vulnerabilities to foreign attack;
• Worldwide cybercrime has become the most lucrative organized crime with little risk to the perpetrators;
• AI has demonstrated its rapid growth to enable both beneficial and harmful capabilities;
• Software engineering technology require discussions over jurisdictional boundaries to determine the optimal response for Canada to protect citizens, public institutions, and businesses; and
• Effective governance of cyber and AI requires partnership between federal and provincial regulators and authorities as well as the engineering professions.