Digital Access Day 2026: Access, Autonomy, and the Open Internet

Digital Access Day 2026: Access, Autonomy, and the Open Internet

*** NOTE: THIS IS AN IN-PERSON EVENT ***

As governments talk more about digital sovereignty, data control, and critical infrastructure, communities across Canada are still struggling with basic issues of connectivity, affordability, and trust. This year’s Digital Access Day, The Canadian Internet Society’s flagship event, asks a simple question: how do we build stronger Canadian capacity for AI, cloud, and networks without breaking the open, global internet that people rely on every day?

This full-day event will feature panels, stories, and conversations on AI adoption, cybersecurity, sovereign infrastructure, affordability, and skills. Speakers will share concrete examples from banks, cloud providers, northern communities, maritime projects, and Canadian technology firms. Insights from the day will feed into our Digital Sovereignty project and a public report.

Join us to connect with people shaping Canada’s digital future, and to help ensure that access and inclusion stay at the centre of the sovereignty conversation.

In the meantime, recordings from Digital Access Day 2025 are available to watch .

SPEAKERS:

• Mark Schaan - Associate Deputy Minister, Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada (ISED)
• Vidya ShankarNarayan - Senior Assistant Deputy Minister, People and Culture Sector, Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat
• Dr. Wendy Cukier - Founder and Academic Director, Diversity Institute; Academic Research Lead, Future Skills Centre
• Shannon Lundquist - Vice Chair and Federal Account Leader - Deloitte Canada
• Dr. Emily Laidlaw - Canada Research Chair, Cybersecurity Law & Associate Professor, University of Calgary
• Christiana Cavazzoni - Chief Digital Officer, Department of Fisheries and Oceans Canada
• Jad Taher - CEO & Cofounder, Goflek
• Sarkis Abrahamian - Director of Business Development, Government, Military, and Defense, Evertz Microsystems Ltd.
• Shelley Robinson - Executive Director, National Capital FreeNet
• Joel Templeman - Executive Director, Internet Society - Manitoba Chapter; Project Manager, North End Connect
• Dr. Michael Geist - Canada Research Chair in Internet and E-commerce Law, University of Ottawa
• Charles Noir - VP, Community Investment, Policy & Advocacy, CIRA
• Matthew Gamble - AVP, Network and Security Services, Canadian Tire Corporation; Principal, Int13 Consulting Inc.
• Lena Trudeau - President, The Canadian Internet Society; Owner & CEO, Inclined Analytics
• Brent Arnold - Chair, The Canadian Internet Society; Partner, INQ Law
• Sami Khoury - Government of Canada Senior Official, Cyber Security
• Josh Tabish - Senior Director for Canada, Chamber of Progress
• Franca Palazzo - Executive Director, The Canadian Internet Society

Know what’s Happening Next — before everyone else does.

Get App

Host or Publisher The Canadian Internet Society