AI Systems Must Respect the Law.
Governments Must Deploy AI Responsibly.
Eve Gaumond and myself, Valentine Goddard, are leading a historical case on the use of AI in government. This year, Quebec launched an AI-driven system in schools to identify students at risk of dropping out, by analyzing personal data like attendance, disabilities, gender, and parents’ education levels. This program is presented by our government as being mandatory, offering no consent or opt-out options to parents.
Based on our expertise, we believe the initiative suffers from significant flaws in both its legal framework and administrative oversight. Starting earlier this year, we’ve been proceeding methodically, including filing a request with the Protecteur du Citoyen and the Commission d’accès à l’information du Québec.
If you are concerned about this, we invite you to take action, in 2 simple steps:
1) Sign the petition requesting a moratorium on the deployment of such system and the collection of children’s data;
2) Upload, read and sign the template letter we designed to protect your rights.
1.Sign the Request for a Moratorium.
2. Ask Your Schoolboard What Your Child’s Risk of Dropping Out is.
This step is important. We’ve drafted the letter to make sure we have the information we need for a solid case in court.
Keep in mind that to be able to help you, we need to hear back from you when your school replies. Their reply help su build the case.
*Please understand, we won’t be able to answer all information inquiries but we will contact you once legal proceedings require it.
Eve Gaumond works at the intersection of law and technology, adopting a project-based approach. She has given lectures on privacy law at Université Laval and has worked on AI and privacy mandates for the University of Ottawa's Public Interest Clinic in Information Technology Law. She is currently working on a PhD on the impact of artificial intelligence on higher education. In this capacity, she has presented her work at major events such as the United Nations Internet Governance Forum in Kyoto and Taipei, and the U7+ Student Forum organized by a group of universities associated with the G7. Access her CV here.
As for myself, Valentine Goddard, I am the founder of AI Impact Alliance (AIIA), and a lawyer (‘96) with globally renowned expertise in AI policy and governance. I’ve advised all levels of governments and been in numerous advisory and consultation groups since 2017 (United Nations, Canada’s Advisory Council on AI, Conseil de l’innovation du Québec, etc). My CV is available here. You can reach me connect on LinkedIn.
Our combined experience and focus bring sharp legal insight and a strong commitment to protect the public interest in a precedent-setting case on the use of AI in government.
