Canada’s top event chronicled intersecting digital worlds

2025 CONFERENCE RECAP

Attendees met at the IAPP Canada Privacy Symposium 2025 in Toronto to discuss solutions and best practices for the current digital responsibility issues impacting Canada and the world. Artificial intelligence, privacy-enhancing technologies, and Canadian legislative updates were among the important topics discussed during this year’s sessions.

See breakout session presentations

This year’s keynote addresses featured privacy commissioners, professors and bestselling authors. Carys Craig, a professor of intellectual property law, spoke about generative AI, and the challenges it poses to creators and cultural industries. Privacy Commissioner of Canada Philippe Dufresne discussed balancing innovation and privacy rights. Information and Privacy Commissioner of Ontario Patricia Kosseim reflected on the challenges and milestones of her first term as privacy commissioner. Rick Mercer discussed his new memoir, “The Road Years.”

Along with this exciting group of keynotes, this year’s Symposium also included a Commissioners’ Game Show based on the game “Password.” The Welcome Reception, Privacy Soirée, and various meetups and lunches gave attendees many opportunities to connect.

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2025 keynote speakers

Carys Craig

Professor of Intellectual Property Law, Osgoode Law School, York University

Drawing on her expertise from decades of work in intellectual property and technology law, Carys Craig shared her thoughts on the challenges generative AI poses to creators and cultural industries, and discussed her research on this topic with her colleague Ian Kerr, and the lasting impacts of their collaboration.

 

Philippe Dufresne

Privacy Commissioner of Canada, Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada

Commissioner Dufresne discussed his office’s mission to protect and promote privacy rights with impact and efficiency, to encourage innovation while protecting these fundamental rights, and to concentrate specific initiatives on the needs of children to navigate online spaces securely.

Patricia Kosseim

Information and Privacy Commissioner of Ontario

Commissioner Kosseim reflected on milestones, challenges and lessons learned during her first term as Ontario’s information and privacy commissioner. She focused on the IPC’s four strategic priorities, the benefits and risks associated with the use of AI technologies in the public sector, and advancing privacy protection for Ontario’s children and youth in a rapidly evolving digital environment.

Rick Mercer

Television Host, Bestselling Author

In Rick Mercer’s new memoir, “The Road Years,” he reminds us, with his trademark humor and charisma, how much there is to love about Canada.

 

Commissioners’ Game Show

Moderator: Kris Klein, CIPP/C, CIPM, FIP

Managing Director, Canada, IAPP; Partner, nNovation

Philippe Dufresne

Privacy Commissioner of Canada, Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada

Isabelle Gervais

Deputy Commissioner, Compliance Promotion and Enforcement, Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada

Patricia Kosseim

Information and Privacy Commissioner of Ontario

Michael Maddock

Assistant Commissioner, Strategic Initiatives and External Relations, Information and Privacy Commissioner of Ontario

This year’s contestants competed in a game of “Password” that educated as well as entertained.

Symposium on social media — #CPS25

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