The Canadian Commission on Democratic Expression provides insights concerning the impact of digital technologies on Canada’s democratic institutions and culture.

The Commission is a unique three-year parallel process that brings together the views of esteemed experts and members of the public. Each year, 7 Commissioners and 42 Assembly members are tasked with examining an issue, deliberating on concerns and potential solutions, sharing their perspectives with each other, and producing a two-volume report that details their respective findings and recommendations.

Assembly Lead: MASS LBP
The Citizens’ Assembly on Democratic Expression has been developed and facilitated by MASS LBP. MASS is Canada’s leader in the use of long-form deliberative and participatory processes to shape public policy.

MASS designs processes that bridge the distance between citizens, stakeholders, and government. Through its work over the past decade, one in 36 Canadian households have received an invitation to participate in one of 41 Citizens’ Assemblies and Reference Panels formed by governments to address a wide range of local, provincial, and national issues.

Working virtually due to the pandemic, the MASS team hosted more than 104 session hours with members of the 2020 Assembly in either or both of Canada’s official languages.

To learn more about MASS, please visit masslbp.com

Commission Lead and Secretariat: Public Policy Forum
The Public Policy Forum is an independent, non-partisan, non-profit organization and a registered charity. PPF builds bridges among diverse participants in the policy-making process and gives them a platform to examine issues, offer new perspectives, and feed fresh ideas into policy discussions. They believe good policy makes a better Canada.

To learn more about their work, please visit ppforum.ca

Research Lead: Max Bell School of Public Policy, McGill University
McGill University's Max Bell School of Public Policy is committed to the research, teaching, public outreach, and practical advocacy of sound public policy. They tackle the complexities of the policymaking process from different perspectives to prepare the next generation of policy leaders for Canada and the world. 

To learn more about their work, please visit mcgill.ca/maxbellschool/

The members of the 2020 Canadian Commission on Democratic Expression include:

Rick Anderson
Principal at Earnscliffe Strategy Group

Julie Caron-Malenfant
Directrice générale Institut du Nouveau Monde

Adam Dodek
Dean and Full Professor at the University of Ottawa’s Faculty of Law

Amira Elghawaby
Journalist and human rights advocate

Jameel Jaffer
Executive Director of the Knight First Amendment Institute at Columbia University

Jean La Rose
Former Chief Executive Officer, Aboriginal Peoples Television Network

The Right Honourable Beverley McLachlin
Justice of the Supreme Court of Canada from 1989 to 2000, Chief Justice of the Court from 2000 to 2017

We would like to the acknowledge the support of our funders:

Government of Canada: Department of Canadian Heritage
The Department of Canadian Heritage and its portfolio organizations play a vital role in the cultural, civic, and economic life of Canadians. Their policies and programs promote an environment where Canadians can experience dynamic cultural expressions, celebrate our history and heritage, and build strong communities. The Department invests in the future by supporting the arts, our official and Indigenous languages, and our athletes and the sport system.

The McConnell Foundation
The McConnell Foundation is a private Canadian foundation that develops and applies innovative approaches to social, cultural, economic, and environmental challenges. They do so through granting and investing, capacity building, convening, and enabling co-creation with grantees, partners, and the public.