The Role and Use of AI in Government and Public Administration

Recorded at the Schulich School of Law at Dalhousie University in Halifax, this “Good Governance and Public Administration and the Impact of Artificial Intelligence” presentation features a panel of experts in administrative law, information law, civil liberties, privacy, and the legal and governance implications of artificial intelligence: Robert Diab, Thompson Rivers University, Teresa Scassa, University of Ottawa, and Tricia Ralph, INQ Law (Former Nova Scotia Information and Privacy Commissioner), and is moderated by Jennifer Raso, McGill University.

The panel examines how governments integrate AI into decision making while maintaining transparency, procedural fairness, privacy protection, and public trust, with particular attention to automated administrative decisions, tools such as immigration screening systems, and the risk of bias and opacity when models shape outcomes. The speakers discuss evolving Canadian legal and policy frameworks, the role of impact assessments, oversight bodies and judicial review, and the need to treat AI systems in government as critical infrastructure that requires ongoing monitoring, explanation, and accountability. Viewers gain practical insight on how public bodies, regulators, and counsel can evaluate, challenge, or design AI-enabled processes so they align with core public law values and support trustworthy, effective governance.