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Digital Government Minister Sarah Stoodley implied that the use of the vax passport has normalized digital verification of identity. 

NL working on a pilot program for digital ID. Minister in charge admits the vax pas normalized the concept of digital identity for many people. https://t.co/OlvL85tBID

— Sheila Gunn Reid (@SheilaGunnReid) January 2, 2023

According to a report by CBC:

And she [Stoodley] noted that residents now have more experience with the concept, based on use of the NLVaxPass that was employed for proof of vaccination.

"They verified their identity on the app, and then they used that going into restaurants and bars and shopping malls," Stoodley said. 

"So that's something that we've seen now everyone is comfortable with."

Critics, however, are concerned about the security of online identity data in the wake of the federal government's ArriveCan App fiasco. 

You presided over a catastrophic summer travel season because of your useless mandates, ArriveCAN app and short staffed airports, claimed you’d solved the problems and then followed it up with a debacle of a winter travel season that left thousands more stranded over the holidays https://t.co/wCYXJto6JD

— Mark Strahl, MP (@markstrahl) December 31, 2022

"While the convenience of digital ID for online transactions would be significant for residents of the province, if such information were to be lost, improperly disclosed, or otherwise misused it could cause a great deal of harm," said NL privacy commissioner Michael Harvey in an emailed statement to CBC. 

NFLD is not alone in pursuing the digitalization of government ID. Ontario has delayed the implementation of a similar promised program. 

Trudeau's government identifies its digital ID rollout approach as ‘aggressive’.

At the Ontario Party, we too would identify our position as aggressive.

Because we will never, ever, relent in fighting against this pseudo social credit system. https://t.co/dnTkxD85hc

— Derek Sloan (@TrueDerekSloan) August 19, 2022

Quebec is developing a digital ID which could integrate facial recognition technology. 

If you think‘s a crazy theory, Quebec is now building the infrastructure for FACIAL RECOGNITION as a feature of its comprehensive digital ID program. Not joking…https://t.co/6PWPUm1fyI

— TrueNorth2021 (@TrueNorth2021) February 25, 2022

The Alberta government also has a digital ID program called MyAlberta Digital ID to confirm one's identity or access services without paper or a face-to-face visit to a government office.

Saskatchewan pumped the brakes on its digital ID scheme in April after public outcry and online backlash. 

Plans to implement phase one of the controversial digital ID project have been temporarily put on hold in Saskatchewan.

MORE: https://t.co/1BKWCYimne pic.twitter.com/8DIIWngZRZ

— Rebel News (@RebelNewsOnline) May 6, 2022

The government of Canada announced a 4-billion-dollar funding program to develop a national digital ID in February and is using private banking partners, like ATB, to move the project forward. The announcement of a national digital ID was made one week after the Trudeau Liberals used the Emergencies Act to seize the bank accounts of peaceful anti-covid restriction protesters in Ottawa. 

WATCH: Chrystia Freeland laughed when she announced that she was freezing Canadians' bank accounts for protesting the Trudeau Liberals' tyrannical lockdowns. pic.twitter.com/pLevyYE0Lp

— Yanky (@Yanky_Pollak) August 28, 2022

Privacy advocates worry the adoption of a national digital ID would lead to a social credit system, making it easier to confiscate the assets and control the finances of future anti-government activists. 

11. Here's Freeland announcing that anyone who donated to the trucker crowdfunds is a terrorist financier, and can have their bank accounts seized WITHOUT a court order. Freeland will "share relevant information" about her enemies list with the banks: pic.twitter.com/f1osVx550x

— Ezra Levant 🍁🚛 (@ezralevant) February 15, 2022