Digital sovereignty, data interoperability and AI governance: a CIRANO strategic panel

On January 19, 2026, CIRANO held a strategic panel entitled “Digital sovereignty, data interoperability and AI governance: Towards a modernized FPT architecture for Canada.” The event brought together public decision-makers, experts, researchers, and institutional partners to address key challenges in the digital transformation of the public sector.

The session opened with welcoming remarks from Nathalie De Marcellis-Warin, President and Chief Executive Officer of CIRANO, Researcher and Fellow at CIRANO, who emphasized the importance of intergovernmental dialogue and the role of research in informing public decision-making on digital transformation, data governance, and artificial intelligence.

Held in a closed format under the Chatham House Rule, the panel aimed to foster open and constructive dialogue on intergovernmental issues related to data interoperability, the adoption of artificial intelligence, and the conditions required for shared digital sovereignty, in a context where both Quebec and the federal government have expressed their intention to strengthen collaboration while respecting their respective jurisdictions.

On this occasion, CIRANO emphasized the importance of an integrated approach to public sector digital transformation, grounded in intergovernmental collaboration, trust in statistical infrastructures, and rigorous governance of data and artificial intelligence. These issues lie at the core of CIRANO’s research agenda, at the intersection of economics, public governance, innovation, and risk management.

The discussions brought together Dominic Rochon, Deputy Minister and Chief Information Officer of Canada, and Stéphane Le Bouyonnec, Deputy Minister and Chief Information Officer of Quebec. The panel also featured Marc Sirois, Chief Statistician of Quebec at the Institut de la statistique du Québec, and Éric Rancourt, Deputy Chief Statistician of Canada and Chief Data Officer at Statistics Canada.

Moderated by Alain Dudoit, Invited Fellow at CIRANO, the session was enriched by a keynote intervention from Luc Gagnon, Chief Technology Officer of the Government of Canada, as well as a concluding synthesis delivered by Tony LaBillois, former Director General of Statistics Canada and elected member of the International Statistical Institute.

The panel strengthened shared understanding of digital challenges, examined key components of an FPT framework for data interoperability and AI governance, and reflected on the role of national statistical organizations as secure data hubs. Through this initiative, CIRANO reaffirms its role as a neutral platform for dialogue and evidence-based analysis in support of public decision-making.