Feds push ‘optional’ digital ID for pensioners, EI claimants
Last October 28, unelected federal bureaucrats announced plans for digital ID without parliamentary approval.
Another Cabinet notice in as many months claims plans to introduce digital ID would be optional, though Canadians remain skeptical.
Recent federal records show the Trudeau government quietly spent $6.4 million on digital ID programs that fell through, reported Blacklock’s.
Among the programs include use by pensioners, EI claimants and tax filers, with a prior notice a need for “fast and efficient delivery of government services.”
Last October 28, federal regulators announced plans for digital credentials without any parliamentary approval. MPs raised concerns over costs and security.
“There are no plans to consider or introduce a federally issued digital ID,” cabinet clarified in response to a parliamentary inquiry.
That counters the notice, which compares “digital credentials” to Social Insurance Numbers, a mandatory form of federally-regulated ID. “Digital credentials are the equivalent of traditional physical credentials, enabling users to digitally prove things about themselves online and in person through a ‘holder component,’ e.g. digital wallet,” wrote Shared Services Canada.
Feds promise multi-million dollar scheme to have Canadians use digital ID to access benefits & tax refunds will not be mandatory: "It would be offered on an optional basis." https://t.co/mlD68KWrj1 pic.twitter.com/gWdy1PXIXO
— Blacklock's Reporter (@mindingottawa) February 4, 2025
A supplementary October 30 briefing note, Digital Credentials Issue And Verify Request For Information, says any “future solution that would allow the Government of Canada to offer the use of digital credentials on an optional basis.”
“The Government of Canada is dedicated to the security and privacy of Canadians and the service will be built with this in mind,” it reads, without prior parliamentary debate.
“The Government of Canada and interested partners, e.g. local, provincial and territorial governments, are working to establish digital credentials as a foundational pillar for delivering modern digital services, enabling people to interact with them with trust, speed and security,” continues the notice.
Canadians do not want a central bank digital currency (CBDC), according to consultations with the Bank of Canada.
— Rebel News (@RebelNewsOnline) December 1, 2023
MORE: https://t.co/ZADSyLFE7F pic.twitter.com/YpRnEU4bFJ
Meanwhile, Canadians are skeptical of other forms of digital ID, including digital currency, citing the risks of abuse and financial implications. Despite this hesitation, the Bank of Canada filed Trademarks Act applications last December to claim ownership of a digital Canadian dollar.
The central bank reassured Canadians that “cash isn’t going anywhere” and that any decision to implement a digital dollar “belongs to Canadians through their representatives in Parliament.”
A 2020 Cash Alternative Survey said the typical Canadian carries $70 in their wallet, mainly $5 and $10 bills, and keeps roughly $185 in their vehicle glove box or dresser drawer.

Alex Dhaliwal
Calgary Based Journalist
Alex Dhaliwal is a Political Science graduate from the University of Calgary. He has actively written on relevant Canadian issues with several prominent interviews under his belt.

COMMENTS
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jerry stone commented 2025-02-06 10:45:34 -0500@Janice I don’t have any cell phone they are all tracked and keep records of what you say or where you go Big Brother has been here for years , toys tv cars all collect data on you almost impossible to be tracker free
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Janice Hendriks commented 2025-02-05 14:51:23 -0500There is no way in bloody hell that I will consent to being digitally surveillance. I carry a flip phone only for safety reasons and half the time I forget it. I have been greatly troubled by this report but truly being watched constantly has me feeling sick to my stomach. I thought with parliament prorogued that we might be safe from JT, but I can only surmise that we must remain ever vigilant.
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Bernhard Jatzeck commented 2025-02-04 21:02:39 -0500Just like face diapers were “optional” at the start of Trudeau’s phony plague. How long did that last?
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Bruce Atchison commented 2025-02-04 19:17:39 -0500I don’t trust the government. What’s optional now will be mandatory eventually. Let’s hope public outcry is so strong that the feds will abandon this dangerous plan. We know governments, especially leftist ones, want to micromanage us supposedly for our good.