Evidence for Democracy

Evidence for Democracy Evidence for Democracy advocates for the transparent use of evidence in public policy and government www.evidencefordemocracy.ca
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Evidence for Democracy advocates for the transparent use of evidence in public policy and government decision making.

09/01/2026

Before you share that shocking post, ask yourself one question: who wants me to believe this, and why?

False information succeeds because it makes us react before we investigate. It makes you angry, frightened, or desperate to warn someone else. Before sharing, pause and look at the source. Who created it? Do they have real expertise? Are they connected to a credible organization? Are they trying to inform you, or sell you something?

A professional-looking video or a person with letters after their name is not automatically trustworthy. Look beyond the presentation and ask what evidence actually supports the claim.

Misinformation spreads fastest when our emotions move faster than our judgment.

Visit www.evidencematterstome.ca to learn how to check the claims you encounter online.

08/21/2026

Is there a municipal election in your area this year? If you're a scientist or researcher, this is one of the best opportunities to put your expertise into action.

Municipalities manage more than 500 billion dollars in public assets and shape daily life, from housing to climate resilience. Yet local governments often have the least access to independent scientific advice.

We created A Researcher's Guide to Municipal Advocacy to help you engage with local government, from council meetings to campaign outreach.

https://evidencefordemocracy.ca/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Municipal-Toolkit-Final.pdf

08/14/2026

There are thousands displaced by wildfires in BC. There are hundreds of fires burning across Canada. And the federal government is cutting the emergency management system built to coordinate the response.

Public Safety Canada faces about 15 million dollars in cuts this year, rising past 30 million by 2028. NRCan plans 266 million in cuts this year, rising to 558 million by 2028, with roughly 807 fewer positions.

Part one of a new series on what's being cut, and what it means for you.

We invite you to join us for a panel event to launch our new report, From Principles to Practice: A Comparative Analysis...
08/12/2026

We invite you to join us for a panel event to launch our new report, From Principles to Practice: A Comparative Analysis of AI Governance in Canada and the United States. This event takes place virtually on September 2, 2026 at 12 PM ET.

Following the launch, a panel of experts in AI governance, science policy, and technology will explore:

The report’s key findings on AI governance in Canada and the United States.
The priorities, leadership and long-term vision shaping each country’s AI strategy.
Major gaps in governance, transparency, oversight and accountability.
AI’s human, environmental, and democratic impacts.
Practical priorities for stronger, evidence-informed AI policy in the public interest.

Together, our speakers will discuss what's needed to move from high-level principles to AI governance that is transparent, sustainable, democratic, and accountable.

Register Here: https://evidencefordemocracy.ca/beyond-the-ai-race-strategy-accountability-and-ai-governance-in-canada-and-the-united-states/

08/11/2026

An AI chatbot tried to influence a Canadian town council. It generated arguments against climate action, packaged them to sound reasonable, and helped get them in front of local politicians.

In 2025, a Cochrane, Alberta councillor cited talking points from a group called KICLEI, whose branding closely resembled the established climate organization ICLEI. Behind it was a custom ChatGPT tool called the Canadian Civic Advisor, designed to generate persuasive, moderate-sounding messaging against municipal climate action, sent to councils across the country every few days.

Local governments often have limited staff and shrinking local news coverage, making coordinated campaigns harder to investigate. Municipalities need stronger misinformation training, transparent lobbying rules, and strong local journalism, because democracy can't work if AI-generated campaigns get mistaken for genuine public opinion.

08/09/2026

An Ontario woman reportedly lost nearly 900,000 dollars after seeing a fake video of Prime Minister Mark Carney promoting an investment opportunity. He never endorsed it.

This is what misinformation looks like now. It can use a familiar face and voice, sit beside trusted news branding, and reach you on the platforms you use every day, and it's getting cheaper and easier to produce.

Our new report, The Misinformation Challenge, finds this is being accelerated by AI, weakly regulated platforms, and hostile actors targeting Canadian communities.

Misinformation isn't a problem individuals can solve by "being more careful." It's a systemic challenge that needs governments, tech companies, and civil society to act together. Read our report to learn more.

Discussion papers on major project approvals and environmental impact assessments closed for public comment on July 22, ...
08/07/2026

Discussion papers on major project approvals and environmental impact assessments closed for public comment on July 22, but most Canadians had no idea this consultation was even happening.

Our Executive Director, Sarah Laframboise, spoke with The Hill Times about the risks of the government moving quickly to legislate before genuinely weighing the feedback it received. Meaningful consultation means more than opening a comment period. It means actually being adaptable to what comes back.

Read the full story: https://www.hilltimes.com/2026/07/31/discussion-papers-arent-accessible-consultation-say-non-profits-the-general-public-really-knows-nothing-about-this/513407/

08/07/2026

Canada is cutting the scientists, researchers, and monitoring programs that help keep people safe. By the time most of us notice what's lost, it may be too late.

Public science protects us before harm occurs. When it's done well, we often never hear about it. That's the point, and that's why it's so easy to lose without anyone noticing.

E4D is tracking these cuts department by department, program by program, lab by lab. Link in bio.

07/30/2026

Recently, a clip of a New Brunswick MLA reading AI-style editing instructions aloud during a legislative speech went viral. It is an easy moment to laugh at, but it raises real questions about how AI is being used in government, and how little oversight currently exists.

Nobody caught the mistake at the time, not the speaker, not anyone reviewing it. That says a lot about where things stand right now.

07/26/2026

E4D grew out of the Death of Evidence movement, when Canadian scientists warned that government science was being muzzled and evidence was being pushed out of public decision-making.

Scientific integrity policies protect scientists' ability to speak publicly about their research, support the timely release of findings, and make it harder for inconvenient evidence to get buried.

Government science affects real life. If evidence is hidden, delayed, or interfered with, the public may not see the risks until it's too late.

The evidence behind government decisions should not be hidden, altered, or suppressed. That is why scientific integrity matters, and that is why E4D keeps fighting to protect it.

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