Canada's Prime Minister Justin Trudeau speaks during the ASEAN-Indo Pacific Forum, held as part of the 43rd ASEAN Summit in Jakarta on September 6, 2023 ( AFP / ADEK BERRY)

Canada's 'Digital Existence Act' is parody

This article is more than one year old.
Published on September 6, 2023 at 18:31
4 min read
By AFP Canada

Social media users claimed a screenshot shows Canada had enacted a law to catalyze the country's use of digital IDs, an electronic currency and "social credit" monitoring. This is false; the post is from a parody account using the name of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, and there is no such bill under consideration.

"The Eris variant is spreading across the globe and my Government is ready to act," says the text of a screenshot shared in an Instagram post on August 29, 2023, which received more than 2,500 likes. The capture appears to be a post on X -- formerly known as Twitter -- from Trudeau.

"That's why we're passing the Digital Existence Act," the text of the screenshot continues. "This law will keep Canadians safe by expediting the transition to Digital ID, Central Bank Digital Currency and a Social Credit system."

Other posts sharing the same screenshot appeared on Instagram, with users on Facebook and TikTok featuring different iterations of the photo to claim Trudeau had enacted a law that would roll out the use of digital credentials in Canada.

Screenshot of a post on Instagram, taken September 6, 2023

In the capture of the X post, the beginning of Trudeau's name is displayed, but the text cuts off with an ellipsis, which obscures the end of the user's name. Searching the text of the post on X reveals the post was originally published by an account called "Justin Trudeau's Ego," which is marked as parody in the page's bio (archived here).

Using advanced search functions on X, shows the prime minister did not post announcing the passage of a "Digital Existence Act" on his official account on the platform (archived here).

There is also no bill or act with this name listed on the Parliament of Canada's website (archived here).

Screenshot of a Facebook post, taken September 6, 2023

Screenshot of a post from a Justin Trudeau parody account, taken September 6, 2023

Similar digital credential claims

Misinformation has previously fueled claims of forced implementation of digital IDs, social credit systems and central bank digital currencies (CBDC) in Canada.

A digital ID is a form of digital credential a citizen can use to verify their identity online. The federal government has written on its website (archived here) that it is exploring the potential of digital IDs in the country but that this is still in the planning stage.

The provinces of British Columbia and Alberta already have their own forms of digital identification which are optional (archived here and here).

Screenshot of a Facebook post, taken September 6, 2023

The Bank of Canada has also stated it is exploring the option of a CBDC in the country, but after a public consultation period (archived here) this spring, the organization has not publicly updated how or if it would be moving forward with research or plans for online cash.

"We have committed to publishing a report later this year on what we heard," said Rebecca Spence, a spokeswoman for the Bank of Canada, in a September 5 email to AFP.

Spence also noted that it would ultimately be up to the government to decide whether a digital currency -- allowing people to hold digital cash issued by the central bank -- could be implemented.

Federal Canadian intelligence, immigration and trade departments have all published reports about social credit scores being adopted in China -- which can enforce standards of behavior through rewards and deterrents -- but there has been no announcement of such a system being introduced in Canada.

More of AFP's reporting on misinformation in Canada can be found here.

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