Artificial Intelligence

As AI is rapidly approaching human-level capabilities, it must only be used when its benefits are clear and its risks are controlled.

The new Liberal government promised to use AI to improve government efficiency. PIPSC supports AI that complements public sector jobs – with the proper protections. But we’ve seen what happens when technology hastily replaces human oversight: broken systems, wasted money, and public harm.

The federal government promised “caps, not cuts,” but it has already broken that promise by issuing some of the largest public service cuts in recent history. PIPSC is concerned that it will go even further, using AI as cover to justify these and even deeper cuts that will cost Canadians good jobs and damage the quality of public services that people rely on.

We need a Canadian-wide AI strategy for protecting the public interest, good jobs, worker rights, and digital sovereignty. It must include: 

1. Legislative, Policy and Regulatory Reform on AI

• Introduce a new AI regulation bill. Bill C-27 is now dead and did not pass. A new bill is urgently needed that:
  • establishes an independent AI regulator that does not report to a government minister
  • expands regulation to include the federal government and crown corporations, not just the federally regulated private sector (as C-27 did)
     
• Strengthen privacy and surveillance protections. Canadians need stronger safeguards against the misuse of AI, particularly related to privacy, surveillance, and data collection.
   
• Ensure public transparency. The government has promised a public repository for all federal AI use, but this has not been delivered. While a registry exists with about 300 projects, each project still requires impact assessments, clear communication with affected workers, and public explanations for potentially affected communities.
   

2. Canadian AI Sovereignty and Infrastructure

• Invest in Canadian AI solutions. Despite Canada's world-leading AI talent, the government continues to rely heavily on foreign AI technologies, particularly from the US. This must change.
   
• Develop Canadian-owned AI products and platforms. Canada needs to:
   
  • build its own AI chatbots and advanced software
  • establish Canadian data centres for secure storage and processing of sensitive government data; millions of records should be securely stored in Canada, not foreign countries
  • ensure government participation and public ownership in these infrastructures to safeguard Canadian data and ensure public control and accountability. 

3. Union Representation and Worker Protections

• Engage in meaningful union consultations. Evan Solomon, Minister of AI, Joël Lightbound (Minister for Government Transformation), and Shafik Ali (President of the Treasury Board) must:
   
  • consult with federal unions
  • establish regular, structured consultation mechanisms at the national, departmental, and local levels.
     
• Include Labour in AI Governance. We need to collaborate across stakeholders to implement AI effectively. That means:
   
  • unions and community organizations must be given seats on the government’s AI advisory committee, which currently only includes science and business voices
  • create a permanent joint federal AI-labour committee to monitor, advise, and provide oversight on AI use in the public sector.
     
• Protect workers through Collective Agreements. New provisions are needed in union contracts to address:
   
  • protection from AI-driven surveillance and monitoring
  • training and retraining opportunities to adapt to technological change
  • advance notice and alerts when AI-driven changes are introduced
  • clear rights and processes for consultation and negotiation around AI adoption
     
• Improve the Treasury Board Secretariat Artificial Intelligence Strategy. In March 2025, TBS released an AI Strategy for the Federal Public Service. However, it fails to address several critical concerns, many of which are highlighted above. To ensure responsible and transparent use of AI in government, the strategy must:
   
  • guarantee transparency, job protection, and privacy rights.
  • Ensure accountability by establishing an independent AI regulator to oversee all government AI use, including that related to the federal workforce.
  • promote innovation by investing in Canadian-made AI solutions for public sector use.
  • foster collaboration through a joint committee of federal unions and the government for ongoing AI consultation.