Access to Information, Privacy and Ethics

The committee considered a motion by Michael Barrett to recommend that the House of Commons order a review of the *Conflict of Interest Act*, with the committee designated to conduct the review. The motion also proposed that the committee begin hearing witness testimony on the subject while the House considered the recommendation. Members debated the motion, with some Liberal members proposing amendments to expand the scope of the review, including adding considerations about consistency with the Conflict of Interest Code for members and ensuring the act encourages experienced persons to seek public office. The Bloc Québécois member supported the motion's substance but opposed the amendments as unnecessary. The chair ruled debate on one amendment closed, leading to procedural disputes and questions of privilege from Liberal members, who argued they were not given a chance to propose further amendments.

The committee did not vote on the main motion or any amendments before the meeting ended. Later, the Bloc Québécois member introduced a separate motion for a study on artificial intelligence, focusing on its ethical challenges, regulation, and impacts on privacy and access to information. Members expressed interest in the topic and discussed potential witnesses and specific areas of concern, such as surveillance pricing. The committee agreed to meet on the following Monday to organize its work, including scheduling studies and finalizing witness lists for the AI motion and other business. No decisions were reached on the *Conflict of Interest Act* motion or the AI study.