Report

DELEGATION MEMBERS AND STAFF

From 20 to 22 April 2023, Marc Serré, MP – Chair of the Canadian Section of ParlAmericas – led a delegation to the 7th Gathering of ParlAmericas’ Open Parliament Network (OPN). Held in Santiago, Chile, the theme was “The Future of Democracy in the Digital Era.” The other delegates were Senators Salma Ataullahjan and René Cormier, the OPN’s Second Vice-President for North America, and David Epp, MP, Alistair MacGregor, MP, Soraya Martinez Ferrada, MP, Rob Morrison, MP and Nathalie Sinclair-Desgagné, MP.

The delegation was supported by Catherine Cuerrier, Association Secretary, and Andre Barnes, Advisor to the Canadian Section.

ACTIVITIES DURING THE 7TH GATHERING OF THE OPEN PARLIAMENT NETWORK

A. Briefing by Canada’s Ambassador to Chile   

On 19 April 2023, Canada’s Ambassador to Chile – Michael Gort – and Embassy officials provided a briefing to members of the Canadian delegation about political, economic and social affairs in Chile.

Delegates were told that Canada and Chile have longstanding, durable, diversified and multifaceted relations, with formal diplomatic relations between the two countries dating back more than 80 years. They also learned that the Canada–Chile Free Trade Agreement was the first trade agreement that Chile had signed with a G7 country, and that the agreement marked its 25th year in 2022.

As well, delegates were informed that high-level visits between Canada and Chile occur relatively frequently, with – for example – Chilean President Gabriel Boric having visited Canada in 2022.

Moreover, delegates were provided with information about Canadian investments in mining, energy, technology and infrastructure in Chile. They were also advised about the long history of collaboration between Canadian and Chilean universities, with – as of 2022 – about 180 memorandums of understanding having been signed between universities in the two countries and – at present – more than 1,000 Chilean post-secondary students studying in Canada under the Emerging Leaders in the Americas Program.

Furthermore, delegates were told about the renewal of Chile’s 1980 constitution, which has involved rejection – during a national plebiscite – of the proposed constitution resulting from the renewal process that occurred over the 2020 to 2022 period, and will include a national plebiscite in December 2023 concerning whether to adopt or reject a new constitution.

Other topics that were discussed during the briefing included the following:

• the activities of the National Congress of Chile;
• the October 2019 civil unrest in Chile relating to social inequality;
• human rights, including in relation to LGBTQI+ issues, and legislation concerning same-sex marriage and abortion;
• Indigenous communities and the work being carried out by a national commission examining land claims;
• migration to Chile from such “hemispheric neighbours” as Venezuela, Bolivia, Peru and Haiti; and
• lithium extraction in Chile’s northern region.

B. 7th Gathering of ParlAmericas’ Open Parliament Network   

1. Inauguration and Opening Remarks   

In providing opening remarks, Senator Juan Antonio Coloma – Speaker of Chile’s Senate – told participants that the western hemisphere has reached an important – yet complex – moment in its history. According to Senator Coloma, on one hand, citizen trust in elected representatives and democratic institutions continues to erode but, on the other hand, information and communication technologies (ICTs) facilitate elected representatives’ engagement with citizens. Senator Coloma drew attention to initiatives undertaken by Chile’s Congress to make digital technologies more widely available, such as a recently introduced digital bill of rights.

Representative Vlado Mirosevic, Speaker of Chile’s Chamber of Deputies, welcomed participants, and identified the challenges and opportunities for democratic systems that are arising as a result of the increased use of artificial intelligence (AI). Suggesting that AI’s impacts on society are currently not well understood, Representative Mirosevic noted that some countries have suspended AI-related research until its use can be better regulated. As well, Representative Mirosevic commented that AI will inevitably cause future job losses, but will also provide employment opportunities in the field of computer code programming.

Chilean Senator Javier Macaya, President of ParlAmericas’ OPN, provided information about ParlAmericas’ work designed to increase transparency and accountability in the western hemisphere’s legislatures. Moreover, Senator Macaya urged participants to discuss ways to improve public participation in legislative business and invest in citizens’ digital education.

2. Keynote Address   

In delivering a keynote address, Valeria Lübbert – the Chilean Presidential Advisory Commission for Public Integrity and Transparency’s Executive Secretary – mentioned that digital technologies have a transformative impact on society through providing citizens with timely access to a vast amount of information. However, Valeria Lübbert said that legislatures should create and promote guidelines for inclusive citizenship participation in the digital realm.

Valeria Lübbert also warned that, in the absence of accessible avenues for citizens to participate in the digital realm, the current digital divide between the “haves” and the “have nots” will widen. Moreover, in Valeria Lübbert’s opinion, without legislative regulation of the digital realm, misinformation and disinformation will continue to spread rampantly and, because ICTs and digital technologies span borders, a global approach is required to address issues relating to them.

Finally, Valeria Lübbert stated that healthy democracies require open, accountable and transparent legislatures and governmental institutions, and contended that – in addition to in person meetings and other engagement opportunities – digital technologies provide a significant avenue for legislators to interact with the public.

3. High Level Panel: “Towards a Secure Just and Inclusive Digital Future in the Region”   

Representative Jeremiah Norbert, Deputy Speaker of Saint Lucia’s House of Assembly, moderated a panel discussion among:

• Fernando Rojas, Senior Assistant for Economic Affairs, Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC);
• Yolanda Martínez, General Lead, Global GovStack Initiative, with the United Nations’ (UN’s) International Telecommunication Union; and
• María Barón, Chair of the Board of Directors, Open Government Partnership.

Fernando Rojas provided an overview of an ECLAC-developed plan to improve citizen access to digital resources (e.g., the Internet), and identified the plan’s four pillars:

• ensuring public connectivity to digital resources;
• using digitization to strengthen the business processes of corporations;
• transforming national economies to increase productivity; and
• creating a connected economy.

In Fernando Rojas’ view, the digital connectivity of a country’s households can be measured and analyzed by considering the cost for a basket of digital goods and services. Fernando Rojas indicated that this cost has risen in recent years and, in some cases, totals about 50% of household income. Furthermore, Fernando Rojas drew attention to research about ways in which digital technologies have affected government services, work, health, transportation and culture.

However, Fernando Rojas noted that, among countries in Latin America and the Caribbean, gaps remain in creating a “connected economy”; these gaps include insufficient government investments in digital technologies, a lack of formal mechanisms for collecting public feedback about current digital services, and a “digital divide” between urban and rural areas.

Yolanda Martinez discussed research that examines opportunities for enhancing government services through increased digitization, indicating that the digital delivery of such services could be improved by measuring the services against a set of pre-established standards. According to Yolanda Martinez, government departments could digitize the parts of their business processes that are “reusable” and “repeatable,” such as electronic workflows, payment systems and signatures.

As well, Yolanda Martinez emphasized the importance of identifying parts of a digital process that are user-friendly and reusable, suggesting that – within a given digital process – it is important to connect “reusable components.” Furthermore, in delivering services, Yolanda Martinez indicated that government departments should establish dedicated digital teams with the goals of increasing productivity and reducing inequalities in the delivery of services.

Finally, Yolanda Martinez pointed out that the International Telecommunication Union offers consultations and training about ways to improve service delivery through digitization, and asserted that such digitization requires both greater public investments and a legislative basis.

In commenting that the legislatures in the Latin American region were established between 1870 and 1920, Maria Barón suggested that these legislatures have always lagged behind societal expectations regarding the adoption of emerging technologies and modern practices. In Maria Barón’s opinion, when compared to the past, the region’s democracies are now less stable and weaker.

According to Maria Barón, legislatures should explore increasing their use of digital technologies, as they did during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, because digital platforms could expand their “reach” and engagement with the public and civil society organizations, as well as enhance government services and their delivery through improved data collection. In recognizing that a legislature’s greater digital presence can improve the quality of life for citizens, Maria Barón stated that a digital platform could facilitate online input into the legislative process, and could have a comments section for providing service-related feedback and – consequently – more personalized services.

4. Session 1: Advancing Citizen Participation Through Digital Means: New Opportunities and Challenges for Gender Equality   

Senator Cormier moderated a panel discussion among:

• Gabriela Rosero Moncayo, Head of Office Chile, UN Women;
• Ashlee Burnett, Founder, Feminitt;
• Valentina Enciso, Advocacy Coordinator, Artemisas; and
• Josefina Correa, Advocacy Coordinator, Ciudadanía Inteligente.

Gabriela Moncayo highlighted the participation of women in the fields of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM), noting that women face gender-related systemic barriers that hinder their career advancement; these barriers include performing a disproportionate share of caregiving and unpaid housework. In Gabriela Moncayo’s view, although women increasingly pursue employment in the STEM fields, they do not have supervisory roles or equal pay, and the opportunities for them afforded by digital advances will not be fully realized until cultural norms change.

Furthermore, Gabriela Moncayo argued that a digital divide exists in Latin America, with 40% of women unable to access the Internet for reasons that include a lack of affordable connectivity, a suitable device or needed skills. Gabriela Moncayo also observed that women experience high levels of discrimination and hate online; because online forums are not “safe spaces” for women, their level of online participation may be lower than would otherwise be the case.

Gabriela Moncayo advocated changes to education programs, more training for women, improved access to financing for women and reforms to societal systems of care, and underscored that legislatures and parliamentarians have an important role to play in fully involving women in digital technologies and innovations.

Ashlee Burnett focused on efforts to increase inclusivity in the work of legislatures, and commented that – in general terms – the world is not an “equal place,” with women, people with disabilities and members of the LGBTQ community, among others, being marginalized in society. According to Ashlee Burnett, to bring about greater equality in the parliamentary setting, legislators must take the following actions:

• Believe in inclusion and parity among genders, and undo norms and ideals that have discrimination as their basis.
• Consider the lived experiences of all people.
• Engage with people from diverse backgrounds, races, classes and abilities.
• Create opportunities for discussion that can be accessed by all.

In Ashlee Burnett’s opinion, creating a more inclusive society is an ongoing, “living” process in which legislatures should lead by example, and parliamentarians should receive more training in relation to legislative work, oversight and accountability mechanisms, public engagement and the use of social media.

Valentina Enciso highlighted ways in which legislatures could collaborate more closely with civil society organizations, especially those related to women, and drew particular attention to Artemisas’ education and communication function on its website. In pointing out that the website is analogue – rather than digital – to facilitate use by those with low computer literacy, Valentina Enciso also noted that the website both provides information about the role and work of legislatures, which tend to use processes that the average citizen finds obscure or difficult to understand, and enables collaboration with other organizations and communication with parliamentarians.

As well, Valentina Enciso underlined the need to create more digital strategies and tools that empower women and increase their participation in the political process, and commented that – in Colombia – politicians who are women are sometimes threatened or subjected to acts of physical violence, receive significantly less than politicians who are men when fundraising, are ignored by the media and are not invited to participate in debates during campaigns.

Finally, Josefina Correa focused on the development of digital tools (e.g., computer programs, websites and applications) for use by civil society organizations, arguing that such tools can reduce economic inequality in society and increase citizen participation in civic affairs. That said, Josefina Correa also observed that – in and of itself – a digital tool is not a strategy; these tools need to be part of larger projects that reach decision makers, and should be designed to ensure their accessibility by those with low digital literacy and by persons with disabilities. Furthermore, Josefina Correa indicated that the entity with the mandate to rewrite Chile’s constitution has consulted Ciudadanía Inteligente for ideas for outreach.

Following the presentations, Senator Ataullahjan asked about the extent to which women who live in rural areas have been considered when digital programs are created. In response, the panelists indicated that their programs have been successfully used by women living in remote areas of their respective countries.

5. Working Groups with Parliamentarians and Representatives of Civil Society Organizations   

Participants were divided into working groups for the purpose of preparing a presentation about actions taken by their respective legislatures on topics relating to the integration of gender perspectives into digital tools aimed at increasing citizen participation.

Senator Ataullahjan made the presentation on behalf of the working group that included the Canadian delegates, and noted the following about Canada’s context:

• Civil society organizations are frequently invited as witnesses during studies carried out by parliamentary committees.
• Civil society organizations should seek out allies in Parliament with whom to collaborate. These organizations should operate in an open and accountable manner, and should fully understand the legislative competencies of the various levels of government.
• Some parliamentarians have hired civil society organizations to provide briefings and/or training in relation to gender issues.
• “Respectful” language continues to evolve, and terms that were considered respectful a few years ago are no longer acceptable, and may be viewed as hurtful. One example is the term “visible minority,” which was historically considered respectful but has been displaced by the term “racialized.”
• “Gender parity” is not the same as “gender equality.” One consideration in this regard is the importance of the portfolios to which ministers who are women are appointed.
• The Parliament of Canada’s proceedings are broadcast live, and its website provides a wide variety of parliamentary information, records, documents and resources.

6. Presentation on Legislative Openness Standards Within Committees   

Chilean Senator Paulina Nunez highlighted ParlAmericas’ development of benchmarks to measure the openness of the work of legislatures’ committees, indicating that committees play a crucial role in the legislative process. In Senator Nunez’s view, the process should be inclusive, participatory and open.

As well, Senator Nunez provided information about ParlAmericas’ Road Map for Legislative Openness 2.0, which was adopted in March 2022 at the OPN’s 6th Gathering. According to Senator Nunez, the road map provides self-assessment benchmarks to measure a legislature’s transparency and legislatures should make commitments designed to increase legislative openness.

7. Session 2: Addressing Online Disinformation from Within Parliament   

Luis Santana, Associate Researcher at Adolfo Ibáñez University’s GobLab, moderated a panel discussion among:

• Sara Fratti, Program Coordinator for Guatemala, Avina Foundation;
• Nazima Raghubir, Board Member, Media Institute of the Caribbean;
• Matías Ponce, Director of Communications, Inter-American Court of Human Rights; and
• Kate Arthur, Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Digital Moment.

In asserting that disinformation – of which polarization and conflict are core elements – did not exist prior to the creation of social media platforms, Sara Fratti contended that these platforms should be fair, equal, safe and inclusive, and should have user-posted content both moderated and regulated. As well, Sara Fratti suggested that disinformation manipulates the truth, has been used to sow doubt in the need for – and the effectiveness of – public institutions, and led to the civil disorder that occurred at the United States Capitol in 2022 and Brazil’s Congress in 2023. In Sara Fratti’s opinion, disinformation will continue to propagate unless people are educated about how to distinguish between “disinformation” and “information.”

Nazima Raghubir focused on news reporting and the rise of disinformation in the Caribbean region, indicating that public trust in reputable news organizations has eroded alongside an increase in the number of unscrupulous news outlets posing as reputable news organizations; these outlets, which operate without adhering to journalistic codes and ethics or checking facts, often favour engagement and sensationalism over accuracy, and spread disinformation and conspiracy theories. Furthermore, according to Nazima Raghubir, one result of the polarization of politics is that people now tend to seek out only information with which they agree. Moreover, in pointing out the economic challenges that media organizations are facing because of decreasing advertising revenues, Nazima Raghubir contended that: the public should support reputable news organizations; legislative action is needed to curtail misinformation and disinformation; and schools should ensure that courses address the topic of media literacy.

Matias Ponce highlighted legislative approaches to regulating online disinformation in South America, and identified the general “tension” between respecting an individual’s freedom of speech and addressing the harm done to “the collective” when disinformation portrays lies as truths. In Matias Ponce’s view, although regulating social media content has numerous logistical challenges, standards should be established to curtail disinformation. Matias Ponce underlined Colombia’s national plan designed to protect the safety of journalists, noting that – in particular – those who are women have experienced threats and cyber harassment. As well, Matias Ponce commented that some South American countries have taken legislative actions to increase media pluralism and to reinforce legal processes that regulate disinformation.

Finally, Kate Arthur drew attention to the need to increase society’s digital literacy, including because disinformation is designed to spread lies and manipulate public opinion. According to Kate Arthur, disinformation dates back to the 1800s, and today’s combination of increased online connectivity and the lack of online content regulation has allowed disinformation to spread nearly out of control. Moreover, Kate Arthur argued that literacy is central to human communication, and is linked to message control and persuasiveness; from that perspective, the most effective tool to combat online disinformation is digital literacy based on strong critical thinking skills. As well, Kate Arthur discussed the increased use of AI, which is not “magic” but rather is “scraped data” from the Internet, and identified ethical considerations because AI is advancing faster than government regulation; that said, there is still time to put “agile” legislation in place to regulate AI’s use.

8. Session 3: Parliamentary Actions for Integrated and Inclusive Digital Governance   

Mexican Senator Antares Vázquez moderated a panel discussion among:

• Marc Serré;
• Costa Rican Deputy Luz Mary Alpízar;
• Mexican Deputy Sonia Rincón;
• Colombian Senator Germán Blanco; and
• Chilean Senator Kenneth Pugh.

Marc Serré observed that, since being elected to Canada’s House of Commons in 2015, public trust in – and engagement with – governments and other democratic institutions has steadily declined; for that reason, legislatures and parliamentarians should enhance their efforts to improve citizen engagement and involvement in civic matters, and should help citizens to find a common understanding among various personal biases. According to Marc Serré, in the current political environment, if often feels that legislators are the target of public disenchantment, which is a challenge amplified by social media platforms that facilitate the rapid sharing of both information and disinformation. With the increased use of these platforms occurring at least partly because people are seeking news online, and are purchasing goods and services, Marc Serré said that parliamentarians have a growing and complex challenge in determining how to respond to this rapidly changing virtual environment; in the Canadian context, several bills are relevant as legislators attempt to make the digital realm more equitable, secure, inclusive and diverse, including: Bill C-11, which updates would country’s broadcasting policy, including to address issues relating to online streaming; Bill C-18, which would regulate digital news intermediaries; and Bill C-26, which would strengthen Canada’s cyber security.

Deputy Alpizar highlighted Costa Rica’s legislation addressing access to information (ATI), the privacy of electronic information and cyber security, and noted that – for the first time in a decade – that country’s legislators will be reviewing the ATI regime. As well, Deputy Alpizar drew attention to both Costa Rica’s national agency for digital governance, which has a mandate to enhance the access, integration and inclusivity of the country’s digital services, and the Legislative Assembly of Costa Rica’s improvements to openness and accessibility, including through the public availability of voting records and the translation of proceedings into braille. Moreover, Deputy Alpizar stated that Costa Rica is considering changes to the country’s constitution that would provide citizens with a digital bill of rights, and is investing in Internet connectivity throughout the country.

Deputy Rincón noted May 2019 reforms to Mexico’s education system, underscoring that the country’s 2013 education law providing individuals with the right to a high-quality education was determined to be unconstitutional because it did not include Indigenous peoples and persons with disabilities. In Deputy Rincón’s view, legislatures can demonstrate their openness and accessibility by ensuring both the existence of the tools needed to exercise citizenship rights and that citizens are not excluded or “left behind.”

Senator Blanco identified certain considerations when legislatures are implementing a digital governance strategy, mentioning the particular importance of having both independence from other branches of government, and the participation of civil society organizations and citizens in the development of a strategy that has a national scope. According to Senator Blanco, Colombia has a seven-step action plan to create and foster an open legislature, including through the creation of a department of science, innovation and technology with – among other mandates – a responsibility to engage with citizens and assess their digital needs. As well, Senator Blanco mentioned challenges to improving Colombians’ access to ICT, indicating that 60% of the country has no Internet connectivity and 75% of its citizens lack access to digital tools.

Finally, Senator Pugh – self-described as “the cyber senator” – underlined the need for parliamentarians to improve their understanding of the relationship between the physical realm and the digital realm for at least two reasons: the digital realm has many tangible and intangible effects on society and peoples’ interactions with each other; and the contents of at least most national constitutions deal primarily – if not exclusively – with the physical realm and not the digital realm. As well, Senator Pugh noted that Chile has established a new cyber security agency to analyze and supervise the digital realm.

9. The Constitutional Reform Process in Chile and Citizen Participation   

Luis Rojas, Secretary General of Chile’s constitutional process and General Coordinator of ParlAmericas’ Open Parliament Staff Network, provided an overview of the 2023 process to draft a new constitution for Chile that will involve the following three separate bodies working consecutively:

• a 24-member committee of experts – 12 nominated by Chile’s Senate and 12 by the country’s Chamber of Deputies – that will prepare a draft constitution during sessions held from March to June 2023;
• a 50-member constitutional board that will review and revise the draft constitution, with members elected to the board according to open list proportional representation and with Indigenous members on the board when certain vote requirements are met; and
• a 14-member technical committee – comprising seven constitutional attorneys who are men and seven who are women – who will review the draft constitution.

According to Luis Rojas, the draft constitution must respect Chile’s international obligations, retain the country’s current bicameral legislative structure, maintain its judiciary, and contain sections that address the armed forces, and the environment and biodiversity. Luis Rojas stated that the decision about whether to adopt or reject the draft constitution will be made in December 2023 through a binding national plebiscite held in December 2023; voting is mandatory, and the decision will be based on a simple majority of 50% plus one vote.

10. Session 4: Presentation on Progress and Commitments Related to Open Parliament   

Chilean Deputy Leonardo Soto moderated a session during which some delegations provided an update on their progress in implementing commitments relating to an open parliament.

In providing the Canadian perspective, Senator Cormier emphasized that Canada’s Parliament has many safeguards in place to protect parliamentary business and ensure openness, including Senate and House of Commons proceedings that are open to the public and broadcast on both the Parliament of Canada’s website and the Cable Public Affairs Channel (CPAC). As well, Senator Cormier underscored that Senators and members of the House of Commons are subject to conflict-of-interest codes and disclosure requirements relating to their work, expenditures and contacts with lobbyists. Senator Cormier also drew attention to parliamentarians’ public outreach efforts and education programs, including the Senate’s Model Senate program.

However, Senator Cormier also indicated that numerous challenges remain for Canada’s Parliament, including attempted election interference by foreign governments, growing income inequality that can contribute to public disengagement from democratic processes, and large technology companies that prioritize commercial objectives. According to Senator Cormier, Canadians must invest in education and be creative in resolving the challenges that the country is facing, and federal legislation must be flexible and keep pace with advancements in the digital realm.

Regarding Canada’s progress on creating an open parliament, Senator Cormier noted that – in 2019 – the Canadian Section of ParlAmericas committed to creating a guide that would serve as a road map for ensuring parliamentary openness and accountability, with a subcommittee established to develop this guide. Senator Cormier indicated that the Parliament of Canada’s adoption of such a plan would be a first for a Westminster-style parliament, and commented that work is underway to create concrete, achievable and specific goals.

Updates were also provided by:

• Bolivian Senator Ruben Gutierrez, who stated that Bolivia’s legislature has returned to in-person sittings following the hybrid sittings that occurred during the COVID 19 pandemic, and underscored that work is underway both to post information about proceedings on the legislature’s new website and to digitize paper documents.
• Colombian Representative Catherine Juvinao, who highlighted that Colombia’s Chamber of Representatives has launched an anti-corruption commission that will work to address the country’s endemic corruption problem, which has both historical and cultural bases, and has led to extremely low public trust in institutions.
• Ecuadorian Assembly Member and OPN Vice-President for South America Wilma Andrade Muñoz, who drew attention to: steps that Ecuador’s legislature is taking to combat societal corruption; the legislature’s conflict of interest code and lobbying regulations; and the creation of a parliamentary group whose purpose is to implement an open parliament plan.
• Mexican Senator Raul Elanes Angulo and Mexican Deputy Karen Gonzalez, who noted that Mexico’s Congress of the Union uses an open parliament plan to assess legislation and the national budget, broadcasts congressional and committee proceedings, and engages with the public on social media platforms.
• Member of the Mercosur Parliament Cecilia Britto, who mentioned that information about the work and the proceedings of Mercosur are posted on the official parliamentary website, and that core operating principles for Mercosur include rendering accounts, ensuring transparency and implementing financial controls.
• Surinamer Speaker of the National Assembly Marinus Bee, who highlighted the work that is underway in a number of areas: the implementation of Suriname’s open data policy; an expansion in the number of platforms on which the public can follow live proceedings of the legislature; efforts undertaken by the legislature to increase public consultation during the legislative process; amendments to parliamentary processes designed to ensure consideration of gender perspectives; and changes aimed at ensuring that the legislature is more accessible to people with disabilities.

11. Session 5: From Digital Divide to Digital Inclusion   

St. Kitts and Nevis Senator Joyelle Clarke, Minister for Sustainable Development, Environment, Climate Action and Constituency Empowerment, moderated a panel discussion among:

• Nicole Pitter Patterson, Co-founder, She Leads IT;
• Eduardo Ramírez, Investigator, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations; and
• Eduardo Chomali, Principal Executive in Information and Communication Technologies, Development Bank of Latin America.

Nicole Pitter Patterson focused on increasing the participation of women in the digital realm, noting recent studies that showed almost gender parity upon entry into a technology program at educational institutions in the Caribbean but – at the end of the program – women comprising 25% of graduates. In noting that about 30% of technology workers are women, Nicole Pitter Patterson stressed the importance of ensuring that young girls have early access to both training and digital literacy programs that have access, skills, leadership and research as their pillars, and mentoring programs that pair a young woman with a woman who is a leader in the digital realm. As well, Nicole Pitter Patterson drew attention to studies in the Caribbean showing that an increase in the proportion of technology workers who are women led to improvements in health care services and a decrease in online gender-based violence.

Eduardo Ramírez underlined the importance of improving Internet connectivity in the Latin America and Caribbean region, observing that there is a large connectivity gap between urban and rural residents. In suggesting that private companies are reluctant to invest in digital infrastructure in rural areas because of an inadequate return on their investment, Eduardo Ramirez favoured an approach whereby the government would make the infrastructure investment and would recover the cost from private-sector service providers. According to Eduardo Ramirez, Internet connectivity should “add value” to the quality of life of residents in order to be sustainable, and satellite Internet could provide coverage for the whole region, although the cost of accessing the service would be prohibitively expensive for most of the region’s residents.

Finally, Eduardo Chomali outlined strategies for closing the digital gap between “underdeveloped” and “wealthy” countries, arguing that such strategies require national legislation, discussions with relevant parties, policies supporting infrastructure investments, training and education, and “creative” investment partnerships and business models, such as public–private partnerships that could provide ICT services to governments and the public. Regarding infrastructure, Eduardo Chomali noted that the Latin America and Caribbean region lacks fibre-based Internet, wireless Wi-Fi and ICT equipment, such as antennas, and – in pointing out large Internet connectivity gaps between urban and rural areas – suggested that efforts should be devoted to ensuring that Internet services are provided to groups traditionally marginalized, such as women, youth and Indigenous peoples.

12. Closing Remarks   

In providing closing remarks, Senator Macaya commented that legislatures have an important role to play in ensuring that digital technologies lead to improved economic sustainability and improved outcomes for populations traditionally marginalized.

As well, Senator Macaya noted that changes to digital technologies and their uses have been rapid, and legislation seeking to regulate in these areas have lagged behind technological advances. In Senator Macaya’s view, disinformation must be regulated because it has been used to attack democratic norms and institutions, and “innovative” legislation is required to regulate the creation and promotion of fake news.

Finally, Senator Macaya stated that the OPN will continue developing tools for legislatures and legislators to aid them in combatting disinformation, and in operating in an open and transparent manner.

Respectfully submitted,

Marc Serré, MP

Chair, Canadian Section of ParlAmericas