Canada’s Digital ID Scheme Faces Backlash for Bypassing Parliament and Raising Surveillance Fears

The global push to get countries to expand the use of digital ID almost received a major boost in Canada last fall, federal records show.

Among the digital ID schemes were those intended for pensioners, people filing taxes, and employment insurance (EI) claimants. That is described as "optional," cost $6.4 million - and has, for now, failed, reports say.

The process of attempting to introduce this "fast and efficient" access to government services was less than optimal: it was pushed by unelected regulators, circumventing the country's parliament, which got several MPs to criticize the move for potential of surveillance-linked abuses, but also for cost and security.

And these are the key points cited by opponents of digital IDs the world over - these are programs that aim to amass and centralize huge amounts of personal data, that becomes accessible to the authorities.

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