Governments often muddle through issues, but Mark Carney’s appointment of a Minister for Artificial Intelligence and Digital Innovation is that rare case where the plan fully fits the moment. Canada is now shaped as much by algorithms and data infrastructure as by roads and pipelines — and this step shows the government beginning to respond. So, what does it mean to give AI a seat at the cabinet table?
The Appointment
Ten other cabinet positions were named at the junior rank of secretaries of state, yet the new AI Minister, Evan Solomon, holds a full cabinet post. That alone signals this is more than a side file. But so far, there isn’t even a Department of AI.
Solomon, who was also named Minister for Southern Ontario’s regional development agency, likely will be hanging his AI hat over there — at least until a more permanent base is established. Does that mean a new federal AI department or agency is coming?
No one is saying. But if this new AI ministry is to be more than symbolic, it will need staff, resources, and real institutional weight. As for the mandate, while Solomon’s official letter hasn’t been released yet, there’s reason to think it will be ambitious.
Why AI Matters
While the Carney government didn’t define Canada’s AI agenda, it seems intent on pushing it into the mainstream. By appointing a Minister with full cabinet status — Carney is sending a clear message: AI is no longer a niche file. It’s central to the government’s plans, with real implications for health care, infrastructure, public services, and economic growth.
The minister’s title reflects this. Pairing “artificial intelligence” with “digital innovation” signals this is about more than reforming how government works. It’s about rebuilding the economy. The government plans to promote digital innovation through robust partnerships, with the private sector as driver, and the public sector as steward — shaping direction, de-risking investment, and laying the groundwork.
Ideally, this isn’t just policy evolution — it’s the beginning of a structural realignment, like the one we saw in the 1980s, when Energy surged from the margins to the centre — strategic, contested, essential to sovereignty. But AI is bigger, it’s moving faster, and it goes deeper. Like Finance, it cuts across every domain. But more than that, it rewires how they connect — how markets interact with services, how education links to jobs, how infrastructure blends with security.
Other countries are on a similar path. The UK, the U.S., and even the United Arab Emirates are all building institutional homes for AI. Canada may not be leading. But with this step, we’ve entered the race — and may be aiming to help shape it.
Where We Are Now: Clearing a Path Forward
While the cabinet position is new, Canada’s AI agenda has a history. The Trudeau government launched the Pan-Canadian Artificial Intelligence Strategy in 2017 and introduced the Artificial Intelligence and Data Act (AIDA) in 2022. But much of that early work focused on governance more than transformation.
The Carney government is viewing these files through a wider lens. While Trudeau’s approach emphasized ethics and risk, this new portfolio will shift the focus, from building guardrails to unlocking AI’s transformative potential. If the government is counting on digital innovation to renew the economy and modernize public institutions, it will need stronger coordination, deeper partnerships, and a willingness to rethink inherited systems.
An obvious place to start is with public services. Departments are experimenting with AI to streamline delivery, reduce paperwork, and support faster, better-informed decisions. If scaled responsibly, these tools could shift public servants from processing to problem-solving.
Infrastructure is another priority. The federal government has proposed over $2 billion in new investments and a $15 billion incentive program to attract pension fund support for green-powered AI data centres — potentially unlocking $45 billion in public-private capital. But this is about more than hardware. It’s about escaping legacy systems and foreign cloud dependencies. Sovereignty may now depend on who controls the data.
Canada’s AI research ecosystem also plays a key role. Institutes like Mila in Montreal, Amii in Edmonton, and the Vector Institute in Toronto continue to produce world-class research, develop new tools, and link innovation to application, while also helping shape international norms around safety and design.
Each of these efforts touches part of the country’s efforts not just to catch up — but to shape what comes next.
Questions and Challenges Ahead
For all the promise, big questions remain. What is Canada’s AI strategy in a world increasingly defined by U.S.-China rivalry? Can this ministry offer more than policy — can it help Canada redefine its position in a shifting global system?
At home, can the federal public service keep pace with the ambition? And will Solomon’s role be that of an innovator — or a transitional figure tasked with laying the groundwork for something bigger?
Above all: who gets to shape the values behind these systems? Will this be a people-first transformation, or a market-led acceleration dressed in public language? These systems will increasingly mediate what we know, how we live, and what choices we’re given. The answers will define not just what we build, but what kind of society we become.
Credit Where It’s Due
For now, though, credit where it’s due. The Carney government has made a critical decision: to give artificial intelligence a home in cabinet, and to name someone responsible for where it goes next.
It’s a bold move — not just administratively, but symbolically. Canadians should pay attention. Because this new ministry may shape more than policy — it may help shape who we become.
Don Lenihan PhD is an expert in public engagement with a long-standing focus on how digital technologies are transforming societies, governments, and governance. This column appears weekly. To see earlier instalments in the series, click here.