The Privy Council Office, under Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, conducted confidential research into the feasibility of a Canada-wide digital ID system, with a focus group commissioned in Nova Scotia.
The research, conducted by Toronto pollster The Strategic Counsel at a cost of $2.4m, revealed that the creation of a digital ID could be hard to achieve, particularly among individuals who are distrustful of public institutions and worried about the security risks of storing sensitive personal information on their phones or online.
The report recommended against such a program, stating that it could have a negative impact on privacy rights and the relationship between Canadians and the state. The idea of a federal digital ID has faced resistance in the past, with some provinces and politicians rejecting it.
“I will never allow the government to impose a digital ID,” Poilievre declared to loud cheers on Saturday.