Government records newly obtained through access-to-information requests reveal a deep unease within Transport Canada when Global News journalist David Akin began inquiring into the World Economic Forum-backed Known Traveller Digital Identity (KTDI) initiative. Internal communications show officials labeling Akin’s biometrics-related questions “problematic,” indicating a scramble behind the scenes to control the narrative around the controversial digital ID pilot.
The program, touted as a touchless solution for future air travel, was designed to create a comprehensive digital profile of travelers, Rebel reports. Promoted under the guise of convenience and security, the project raises serious privacy concerns, particularly given the opaque collaboration between Canadian officials and the World Economic Forum (WEF), a private entity with far-reaching influence over global policy.
Documents show that former Transport Minister Omar Alghabra’s office was actively coordinating participation in WEF events, with Transport Canada’s director of international relations, Jennifer Sully, viewing these global forums as prime opportunities to amplify KTDI’s visibility.
In one instance, she encouraged the Minister to engage in the WEF’s “Stewards of Mobility” event at the OECD-linked International Transport Forum Summit—an elite policy gathering with close WEF ties. Sully also floated the idea of transferring former minister Marc Garneau’s seat on the WEF’s “Board of Stewards” to Alghabra, underscoring the government’s commitment to maintaining alignment with WEF agendas.
Three years after Rebel News filed its initial access-to-information request in January 2022, the documents finally surfaced — heavily redacted, yet still revealing. Communications from Executive Director John Velho suggested the COVID-19 crisis was seen as a timely justification to accelerate digital credential adoption under the pretext of modernizing air travel. However, the extent of redactions, especially around media responses, leaves a troubling lack of transparency about what officials are so eager to hide.
While KTDI was folded into government messaging about economic recovery and public health, it bears all the hallmarks of a long-game digital identity framework. With private global organizations like the WEF steering much of the dialogue, the implications for privacy and civil liberties are stark. What’s being quietly ushered in — at taxpayer expense— is not a benign travel convenience, but the architecture of a pervasive surveillance regime.
