Event Background

Artificial intelligence is rapidly transforming the way governments collect evidence, analyze data, and craft public policy. From predictive modelling to automated research synthesis, AI offers enormous potential for more efficient and informed decision-making. Yet with this promise comes pressing questions: how do we ensure transparency when AI systems contribute to policy choices? What safeguards prevent bias or misuse? And how can we rebuild public trust in an era of increasing misinformation and algorithmic opacity?

Join Evidence for Democracy for a dynamic public panel exploring how AI is emerging within government decision-making and what this means for democratic accountability. Experts in policy, technology, and ethics will examine the tension between innovation and accountability, highlighting both the risks and opportunities of integrating AI into the heart of governance.

In this session, we’ll explore:

• How AI is currently being used in public policy development and implementation
• The implications for transparency, bias, and fairness in evidence-based decision-making
• Strategies to strengthen accountability and public trust as AI tools evolve

This conversation will shed light on how democratic institutions can adapt to technological change without losing sight of the values that underpin good governance: openness, integrity, and trust in evidence.

Join us on 24 March to take part in this conversation!

Target Audience 

Academics, researchers, policymakers, parliamentarians, staffers, students, advocacy groups, and members of the public. 

When? 

Tuesday Mar 24, 2026 from 12-1pm ET.

Agenda

Bios

Beatrice Wayne is the Director of Research and Policy at the Samara Centre for Democracy, and an award-winning researcher, teacher, and passionate advocate for participatory democracy. Holding a PhD from New York University, Beatrice has taught popular courses on youth democratic activism at Harvard University, the University of Sydney, and New York University. Recently, she was named to the Canadian Democracy Delegation, Canada’s top coalition of democracy experts on the international stage. She currently coordinates and leads Samara Centre for Democracy research projects, including Verified, an ongoing investigation into Canada’s online digital spaces, and how they are shaping politics and democracy.

Helen Hayes is the Associate Director (Policy) of the Centre for Media, Technology, and Democracy at McGill University, a Fellow at the Morris J. Wosk Centre for Dialogue, and a Mila AI Policy Fellow. She is an expert on digital policymaking, with years of experience leading participatory engagements and research programs on AI and social media, including Canada’s first national youth assembly on AI: Gen(Z)AI. She is a 2026 recipient of Forbes 30 under 30 (Education) for her contributions to youth-centred policymaking in Canada. Her most recent work has involved investigating Canadians’ perspectives on governing AI Chatbots, and policy solutions for regulating AI chatbots.

Renée Sieber is the Associate Professor at the Bieber School of Environment at McGill University. Recently, she was named to the Top 100 Brilliant Women in AI Ethics 2025 list for her research into the impacts of AI and information technologies on marginalized communities, the environment, and Canadian society. Renee has previously consulted on the Artificial Intelligence and Data Act (AIDA) portion of Bill C-27 (Digital Charter Implementation Act). Her most recent work explores AI and civic participation, and AI in government procurement policy.

Kimberley Kargus is the Executive Director of the Chief Data Officer branch at Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC). She currently leads the Department’s Enterprise Data Strategy and Business Alignment team, being responsible for developing and providing enterprise strategy and policy direction, including driving the innovative, ethical, and responsible use of data across ESDC.

Kimberley’s current responsibilities cover management of both ESDC’s Enterprise Data Strategy and associated Engagement and Awareness Plan (including the delivery of ESDC’s enterprise Data Literacy Program and Data Week); the application of the strategic data lens to business planning and initiatives; and the oversight of Joint Departmental Data Strategies at ESDC. She was the file lead for the recruitment of ESDC’s first Chief Data Officer in 2016, and continues to play an advisory role on the structure of the Chief Data Office. Kimberley holds a Master of Public Administration and a Bachelor of Arts in English and Modern Literature from Queen’s University.