Yearly Archives: 2020

Spotlight on iProov

1. What is the mission and vision of iProov?

iProov’s mission is to make the internet a safer place for businesses and consumers. We provide trusted biometric authentication that is seamless, secure and effortless. Our vision is for all governments and enterprise institutions to be confident that the remote user is real and can be trusted. iProov strongly believes that the user and usability should be the heart of any solution and as such must be accessible to all users irrespective of their abilities, literacy and digital capability.

iProov ensures trust online through Genuine Presence Assurance. Governments, financial institutions and other enterprises are using iProov’s Genuine Presence Assurance technology to ensure that an online user is not only the right person, but that they are a real person and authenticating right now. This unique approach protects against impersonation and criminal attacks, providing the highest levels of security alongside effortless usability.

2. Why is trustworthy digital identity critical for existing and emerging markets?

One of the most significant challenges with digital service is establishing trust. A key element of which is how to bind the digital identity attributes of a person, to the person and assuring only they can assert that identity. As online digital becomes the primary channel to interact with services, customers and citizens are increasingly vulnerable to impersonation attacks from fraudsters compromising their identity. It is crucial to have consented, secure and effortless identity verification and authentication for everyone.

In many economies, parts of the citizen population have no formal identity documentation. Embracing digital identities will enable all members of society to be included, enabling them to unlock access to services previously not possible.

3. How will digital identity transform the Canadian and global economy? How does iProov address challenges associated with this transformation?

Digital identities are the cornerstone of doing businesses in the 21st century, they offer speed and flexibility in remote interactions which creates greater competition, economical efficiency, and greater citizen empowerment and inclusion.

iProov provides governments and enterprises with a very high level of assurance that the person interacting with their service is the legitimate user while protecting against criminal attacks. iProov Genuine Presence Assurance technology ensures trust by validating and authenticating users online to the highest level of certainty i.e. that a user is a real person, the right person, and authenticating right now.

4. What role does Canada have to play as a leader in the space?

DIACC is playing a critically important role in coordinating a national digital identity and framework in a way that is notably lacking in the US and UK. By showing how a liberal democracy can successfully empower citizens with a nationally structured system of digital identity, Canada will exert a very powerful influence on both sides of the Atlantic and help lead the G7 to a better place.

5. Why did iProov join the DIACC?

iProov believes that trust between a provider and its citizens or customers must be achieved alongside two critical objectives:

  • Accessibility and inclusion – providing services which offer maximum access, irrespective of their abilities, literacy and digital savviness.
  • Sustainable security – ensuring a secure environment, business processes and centralized management controls to flexibly evolve and manage future, unknown risks.

It is this experience and insight that iProov brings to DIACC and can help DIACC in developing digital identity standards.

6. What else should we know about iProov?

The iProov solutions are trusted at national scale levels today with institutions such as:

  • The UK National Health Service – iProov provides strong authentication to onboard citizens in the UK to the NHS Login mobile app. With iProov, citizens registering for the NHS app are able to authenticate themselves in real-time with the image on their passport or driver’s license, allowing them to book medical appointments, order repeat prescriptions, and gain access to their patient record.
  • The UK Home Office – the EU Settled Status scheme is utilizing iProov to assure the genuine presence of remote users and to verify that the applicant is the rightful holder of the validated ID document. Over 3 million EU citizens have used the service to apply for permanent residency status.

It is this experience and insight that iProov brings to DIACC and can help DIACC in developing digital identity standards.

iProov’s proven, simple and inclusive user experience is critical to the service we offer to our Government and Enterprise customers, and has been a key contributor to our successful engagements with some of the world’s most security-conscious and user-friendly organizations.

Adapting to Distance: How Digital Solutions are Creating a Path Forward for Traditional Industries

The pandemic has changed everything – in small, invisible ways and in big, obvious, and often dramatic shifts. “It is not business as usual. People are rushing to find solutions, and people who were procrastinating are committed to changing,” explained Patrick Drolet, VP, Operations and Product Strategy, Notarius. 

Traditional sectors, like the legal sector, banking, education, and government, are particularly impacted by requirements to stay physically distant. As organizations that are heavily reliant on paper documents, witnesses, and face-to-face meetings, working in a new digital and decentralized format can present challenges. 

“What has amazed me is the variety of people who want to go digital,” Marc St-Jacques, VP, Sales and Marketing at Notarius said. “Everything from government to industry, health, [and] universities.”

Making the transition to digital isn’t always straightforward. For many of these secure, highly sensitive industries, a foundation of strong, trusted, and protected digital identity is necessary to continue operating. As individuals and businesses shift their focus and, in some cases, scramble to quickly adapt, a delta is opening up between those who were already moving towards digital transformation – and those who were dragging their feet. 

“It is not business as usual. People are rushing to find solutions, and people who were procrastinating are committed to changing.”

“On the one hand, individuals forced into digital are going now. It also illustrates the disparity between approaches. The shift has made everyone stand out,” St-Jacques explained. Whether it’s because they’re practiced in offering digital solutions or because they’ve been holding off, St-Jacques says it’s easy to see how different businesses operate. 

The Pan-Canadian Trust Framework, can help close the gap between early adopters and laggards, and ensure everyone has a clear path to operating in an increasingly digital-first world. 

For Notarius, there are two product lines that have been in high-demand in the wake of COVID-19. The traditional “old fashioned identity” that is consistently a big part of their business, and renewed interest in the document part. Secure, remote digital signatures and document execution are presenting a lot of opportunities for their clients to move forward. At the onset of the pandemic, they offered 60-day free trials and special offers, helping make the transition even easier for clients.

Witnessing the Shift in Industries

The industries who are showing the most interest are traditional sectors that may have been slow to adopt and adapt to digital technologies. “We are seeing a lot of appetite from the government. It is refreshing to see, as [the sector] has been slow to adopt. The biggest uptake, though, is in the university marketplace, both inside and outside of Quebec. They have moved quickly,” St-Jacques said.

“In many instances, organizations were held back by a department or two,” St-Jacques explained. “Legal departments were often the roadblock.” Those departments, including IT and government sectors, are now transforming rapidly to keep up.

The change is not – and cannot – only happen at the organizational level, though. From provincial to federal governments, the pandemic is accelerating change. “There is a long list of laws that were not ID-friendly. Government used to be so slow. They are moving now, which is super exciting,” Drolet said. 

One example is the notary bar in Quebec, a completely paper-based line of work. Although digital transformation was under consideration for the past four or five years, in the COVID-19 era, it took just three weeks for a temporary law to be passed so notaries can work in a digital format. 

Across the board, attitudes are changing and, in many cases, charting a digital path forward is no longer an option – it’s necessary for survival. The Pan-Canadian Trust Framework ensures businesses from all industries will be able to interact seamlessly with government and other industries, creating more efficiencies and helping all Canadian industries meet a baseline for privacy, security and usability. 

Digital ID Helps Maintain Connections Across Closed Borders

In a highly connected, global environment, these tools offer more options to continue connecting internationally. “Foreign students need their transcripts, they want to do their exams. Transcripts are like the identity of organizations,” St-Jacques explained, connecting the trends in education to other sectors. 

Through Notarius, these identifying documents are connected with a digital signature that it is clear and immediate, appealing to teams around the world. “We’re seeing requests from Europe, Asia, and the US,” St-Jacques shared. 

“For the international part, we are the only one recognized by Adobe. We were the only platform certified with EIDAS, with the highest standards,” Drolet explained.

Looking Ahead as Old Barriers Come Down

While the situation has not been ideal for anyone, the speed with which many have had to respond to this serious outbreak has led to some positive changes. “Usually it would be a structured and siloed process. Now, everyone is scrambling and can take initiative,” Drolet shared. “They see the value and what used to take weeks, now takes 15 minutes. Unfortunately, the pandemic was the driver.” 

So, what does the future look like?

For digital identity, Drolet predicts a surge in interest and adoption. “Who are your competitors in the ID space? The bad guy used to be the pen, now even that guy is going away,” he said.   

For industries, St-Jacques envisions lasting change. “I really don’t see people going back,” St-Jacques predicts. Old concerns about security, processes, and reluctance to change are being dissolved, as the rapid changes set precedent for what’s possible.

No matter what comes to pass, digital identity will be an important lever for success. Join Canada’s digital identity ecosystem to be a part of leading the change.
The Pan-Canadian Trust Framework ensures privacy, security, and accessibility remain features of our economy as all industries face a global push to go digital. Learn more about how DIACC is aligning organizations across industries, sectors, and Canada toward digital transformation.

Spotlight on Peer Social

1. What is the mission and vision of Peer Social? 

Peer Social is a team of dedicated decentralists who are researching and developing new architectures and technologies to solve some of the most pressing problems of our time—starting with social media. We are committed to eliminating the dynamic of user exploitation, which has become commonplace on the social internet.  

Social networks and centralized Cloud service providers require users to agree to terms which include giving up control of their personal data in return for using their network or service. They use this agreement as a blanket authorization to host, track and store, their users’ online activities and behaviours. The Surveillance Capitalism business model represents the worst excesses of the social Internet—we are here to change it.

Over the past 2 years we have assembled a super-talented team of security architects, designers, developers, and some of the world’s best academic researchers to build a secure, distributed, mobile networking app, which allows users to create their own private network (using a secure blockchain)—it’s called Manyone. Manyone is a safe, digital environment where users control their personal information, connections, and unique personas. 

We want to fix content moderation, content hosting, and the ownership problems of today’s social Internet by giving users decentralized ownership and control of their data. We want everyone to have a self-sovereign, self-hosted, digital identity. 

2. How will digital identity transform the Canadian and global economy? 

Users having a real, verifiable, trusted, digital identity solution is the ambition of every person, country and every business. Enabling one true digital identity for every human would improve access to services like healthcare, government, and banking by uncoupling this access from traditional identity issuers—this would give the under-privileged and under-banked the ability to establish their own unique digital identity. 

Economies around the world, including Canada, are going to need to rebuild quickly. Imagine a world where all people had their own self-sovereign digital identity. By establishing immutable links to every citizen at the individual level—we would remove the friction (measured in both time and money) associated with accessing online services/support. Digital access that is efficient, secure, and convenient for everyone is key in helping rebuild and transform economies. 

3. How does your organization address the needs of this transformation?

Peer Social focuses on an increasingly important component to any digital identity architecture by enabling true, verifiable, self-sovereign digital identity. 

Any individual user, business or government wanting to create a self-sovereign digital identity can do so by recording it on a personal blockchain and securely sharing it with other people and institutions over a private distributed network.

We aim to deliver the simplest, yet most powerful, self-sovereign, verified, decentralized digital identity platform we can for our users.

4. What role does Canada have as a leader in this space? 

Canada is in a unique position to take a leadership role in the global digital identity market by already possessing a foundation of ‘trust’—essential for any successful solution. Brand Canada has a lot of admirers around the world and it is easy to imagine a robust and cutting edge, Canadian-built digital identity solution gaining wide acceptance at a global level.

In today’s world, Canadians are more likely to trust a self-sovereign, digital identity solution that is architected and built in Canada. In fact, a digital identity solution produced in Canada is more likely to be accepted as a global standard due to Canada’s reputation as a fair and open society.

5. Why did your Peer Social join the DIACC and what else should we know about your organization? 

Peer Social joined DIACC to become more engaged (at the policy level) in the Canadian digital identity conversation. We live in interesting times, where a lot of attention is being paid to digital identity and how to produce the best solution to meet the needs of traditional identity issuers like banks and governments—while still respecting individual users’ civil liberties. Joining DIACC is a great way to connect and listen to what others have to say—as well as add our voice to the discussion.

Keep an eye on Peer Social. We are launching our first generation, decentralized, self-sovereign, digital identity mobile App, Manyone, very soon— allowing each of us to take our first steps towards a self-sovereign, digital future.

Spotlight on Jumio

1. What is the mission and vision of Jumio?

Jumio’s mission is to make the internet a safer place by protecting the ecosystems of businesses through cutting-edge online identity verification and authentication services that quickly and accurately connect a person’s online and real-world identities. Jumio’s automated identity verification solutions fight fraud, maintain compliance and onboard new customers faster.

2.  Why is trustworthy digital identity critical for existing and emerging markets?

As more Canadians turn to their computers and smartphones to manage their money (and every other aspect of their lives), it’s important for organizations across a broad span of industries to provide a seamless digital experience, and that starts with the onboarding process. Consumers expect the ability to create online accounts in minutes, not days — anytime, anywhere. They aren’t afraid to take their business elsewhere if they encounter unnecessary friction. In fact more than 40 per cent of potential new accounts are sacrificed during the onboarding process because of time-consuming, clunky identity verification processes.

3.  How will digital identity transform the Canadian and global economy? How does Jumio address challenges associated with this transformation?

As companies evolve to become more digital, more and more interactions with customers will occur on a screen rather than in person. These digital transformation efforts start with creating new accounts online. Digital identity verification is an unsung hero in an organization’s digital transformation strategy because companies must verify that a person’s digital identity matches their physical identity when conducting business online. 

With this in mind, it’s imperative for Canadian enterprises to build in the necessary operational resiliency to survive this new reality. The COVID-19 pandemic has showcased the value of IT and digital transformation, and the need for organizations to accelerate the transition.

According to a recent J.D. Power study, nearly one-third (31 per cent) of new account openings are executed through a bank website or mobile app, up from 22 per cent in 2019. Meanwhile, the number of new account openings at branches has declined year over year by 10 per cent, and now comprises just over half of all new account openings. Sadly, many financial institutions still require users to visit a store or branch office to create a new account or to perform routine transactions — increasingly, this is going to be a difficult mandate as many of us are now homebound and social distancing.

This is a wake-up call for organizations that have placed too much focus on daily operational needs at the expense of investing in digital business and long-term resilience. Jumio helps Canadian businesses to digitally transform their KYC/AML and onboarding processes so they can quickly, securely and compliantly onboard new customers.

4. What role does Canada have to play as a leader in the space?

Canada is playing a leading role in online identity verification in a somewhat surprising way. In recent years, Montreal has emerged as a major technology hub for artificial intelligence (AI) due to the prominence of AI talent and research support in the city. This has allowed a number of companies, including Jumio, to launch AI labs in Montreal. In Jumio’s case, our goal is to build production AI models that perform three vital functions related to online identity verification: data extraction, fraud detection and risk scoring. In fact, AI has already been productionalized to reduce the time it takes to verify the digital identities of remote users. At Jumio, AI models have reduced the average customer transaction time by more than 50 per cent, with more significant reductions planned in 2020.  

So, in effect, Canada is driving the AI-based innovation that is powering faster and more accurate online identity verifications around the globe.

5.  Why did Jumio join the DIACC?

Jumio joined the DIACC because we wanted to be part of the conversation and help shape the emerging digital identity ecosystem. Jumio is a global leader in AI-based identity verification and biometric-based authentication and we process close to 300,000 identity verifications each day. As a result of our experience, we have much to offer in terms of best practices, especially given the pioneering work of our AI Labs division based in Montreal. At the same time, we want to learn from other members about best practices and emerging frameworks for digital identification and authentication.

We share DIACC’s mission of enabling Canadians to completely and securely participate in the global digital economy by establishing a robust, secure, scalable, inclusive and privacy-enhancing digital ecosystem. Our industry is evolving quickly and many institutions are relying on yesterday’s technologies, including knowledge-based verification and credit bureau queries which offer low levels of identity assurance and open the door to impersonation fraud and account takeovers. We are playing a valuable role in helping Canadian enterprises, of all stripes, understand the key trade-offs they need to consider and help them adopt more modern, AI-based approaches to digital identity verification and authentication.

6.  What else should we know about Jumio?

Jumio is the global leader in online identity verification because of our commitment to innovation and the customer experience. Jumio leverages a unique combination of technologies including AI, OCR, computer vision, machine learning and leading-edge biometrics to set the industry benchmark for identity verification accuracy, fraud deterrence and simplified KYC/AML compliance. Moreover, Jumio has spent the last five years refining and innovating around the customer experience. This includes reducing the number of steps required to verify an ID document or identity. This also includes optimizing the language and graphics used on screen to help maximize online conversions. These types of innovations are no less significant and help our business customers streamline their customer’s online journey.   

Jumio has verified more than 250 million identities issued by over 200 countries and territories from real-time web and mobile transactions. Jumio’s solutions are used by leading companies in the financial services, sharing economy, digital currency, retail, travel and online gaming sectors. Based in Palo Alto, Jumio operates globally with offices in North America, Latin America, Europe and Asia Pacific and has been the recipient of numerous awards for innovation.

DIACC Women in ID: Government Services

To build Canada’s digital future, every Canadian needs a seat at the table. DIACC is fortunate to have members from both the public and private sectors, all of whom are working together at the forefront of digital identity. 

We’re connecting with DIACC Women in Identity to learn how they have navigated industry challenges and get career advice for the next generation. In this article, we hear perspectives from British Columbia (BC) to New Brunswick and in between. These are some of the leaders who are shaping service delivery for Canadians and driving change across the industry.

Moulding Young Minds 

There is a gender divide within the tech sector – in Canada and beyond. How can we encourage more young women to pursue these careers? 

More emphasis on competencies required rather than the technical infrastructure could help, Sophia Howse, Executive Director, BC’s Provincial Identity Information Management Program with the Province of BC, explained. “If we could communicate how skills such as leadership, collaboration, critical thinking and problem-solving can be applied in the space, then I feel we would attract more interest from women.” 

CJ Ritchie, Associate Deputy Minister and Government Chief Information Officer for the Province of BC, and member of the DIACC Board of Directors, noted that it’s important to adapt leadership styles to industry contexts and to individual team members. “Mature leaders don’t try to manage everybody or manage everybody the same. Make room for specificity and diversity and bring on a team that’s smarter than you. Don’t be afraid to not be the smartest person in the room – it’s a sign you’re doing it right.”

“Make room for specificity and diversity and bring on a team that’s smarter than you. Don’t be afraid to not be the smartest person in the room – it’s a sign you’re doing it right.”

CJ Ritchie, Associate Deputy Minister and Government Chief Information Officer for the Province of BC

Sharing sector opportunities with young women during school years is key, emphasized Colleen Boldon, Director, Digital Lab and Digital ID Programs, Public Services and Smart Government at Service New Brunswick, and member of the DIACC Board of Directors. “Women need mentors, career advancement opportunities and meaningful work,” she said. “I think the one distinction that still exists today is that men more often ask for help and advancement opportunities, while women are more inclined to try to do things on their own, take another course and hope that someone notices their work and promotes them.” 

Kathleen Fraser, Manager of Digital Identity for Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada, echoed the need for a broader view of what it means to work in tech that demonstrates the difference it can make in the lives of Canadians. She explained, “For myself, I take great pride in the work I do because I feel a great desire to make a difference in people’s lives and for the clients who are interacting with us.”

“Saying ‘yes’ to complex assignments and being comfortable in the ‘not knowing’ space offers a challenging work environment that can pave the way to a very challenging and rewarding career”

Sophia Howse, Executive Director, BC’s Provincial Identity Information Management Program with the Province of BC

Women Encouraging Women

Technology doesn’t have to be intimidating or highly technical, pointed out Cosanna Preston-Idedia, Director of Digital Identity for the Government of Saskatchewan. “Whoever you are, dig into your passions and spend time understanding how tech is impacting, shaping and changing that space,” she said. “If the actual technical details are not for you, look to the concepts, outcomes and impacts that it has to offer.”

To help other women achieve a more prominent role in their organizations, she emphasized taking time to lift others up. This could involve concluding meetings with a roundtable discussion, serving as a mentor or coach, and offering public praise and private feedback. 

“Whoever you are, dig into your passions and spend time understanding how tech is impacting, shaping and changing that space.”

Cosanna Preston-Idedia, Director of Digital Identity for the Government of Saskatchewan.

Drawing inspiration from her own mentors, Fraser believes a growth mindset and community as essential for success. “Never stop learning and build a network of people with a similar vision,” she said. “The kind of work we’re doing right now cannot be done in a silo. It has to be done in collaboration with other people.”

Howse advises becoming more comfortable with the unknown. “I have learned that saying ‘yes’ to complex assignments and being comfortable in the ‘not knowing’ space offers a challenging work environment that can pave the way to a very challenging and rewarding career,” she said. For instance, encouraging team members to present their work to a larger audience boosts confidence and builds profile. 

In Ritchie’s experience, understanding how to attenuate her leadership style to the culture she found herself in became a source of strength. “It was a turning point learning to use that to my advantage rather than letting it be a barrier to me,” she explained. Differences in how she was perceived in new roles and industries became less personal. “Learning that that was an external force that had nothing to do with me and attenuating my style to have a better impact on my reputation and corporate currency,” she said. 

“For myself, I take great pride in the work I do because I feel a great desire to make a difference in people’s lives and for the clients who are interacting with us.”

Kathleen Fraser, Manager of Digital Identity for Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada,

Challenges and the Road Ahead

“There are more CEOs today named John than there are female CEOs. That should tell you something,” Ritchie reflected on the state of the landscape. “Snapshots in time can fool you into thinking we’ve made progress – but I’m not sure that’s true.” 

To get ahead and persevere, even when often one of the only women in the room, Fraser focuses on the huge potential for change. “I think you need to have passion and a sense of leadership that allows you to be a disruptor,” she explains. “That is what we’re doing – we’re disruptors in the space when we look at new ways of doing things. When you have conviction in your vision… you don’t stop at the first sign of failure.” 

Boldon chooses to focus on the things she can control – her work and the challenge ahead. ”My story looks very similar to other woman who chose non-traditional careers for our generation, and experienced discrimination and setbacks, while pushing career and societal boundaries on what a good wife and mother should be,” she said. 

Her advice? “Enjoy the ride. There are more opportunities for women in IT [Information Technology] than ever before and it is an ever-evolving, fascinating sector where you can find meaningful work, wonderful colleagues and a great career.”

“Enjoy the ride. There are more opportunities for women in IT than ever before and it is an ever-evolving, fascinating sector where you can find meaningful work, wonderful colleagues and a great career.”

Colleen Boldon, Director, Digital Lab and Digital ID Programs, Public Services and Smart Government at Service New Brunswick

Do not fear the words technical or technology, added Howse. Understand your skillset and lean into your strengths, all while continuing to develop yourself. 

Ritchie agrees that diving in and going for your goals is important, especially as women are more likely to limit themselves to roles and opportunities they believe they are 100 per cent qualified for. “Don’t feel you need to have it all figured out,” she shared. “You can build the bridge as you walk on it. You only need to know the next right step to take… You’re capable of far more than you think.”

Meet more leading female DIACC members in digital identity! 

As Digital ID Takes Centre Stage in Canada, the DIACC Elects a Strong Slate of Directors at the 2020 AGM

Canada, June 18, 2020 – The Digital Identification and Authentication Council of Canada, (DIACC) today announced the appointment of five (5) nominees to the five Director seats that were up for election at its Annual General Meeting held virtually on June 16, 2020. 

“Now more than ever, Canadians need to perform transactions digitally and DIACC members and collaborative partners are leading the way. We are pleased to congratulate each nominee who was duly elected through our virtual annual general meeting,” said Joni Brennan, President, DIACC.”

“These individuals, and their respective organizations, are making a significant investment in a digital Canada. DIACC members have the experience and leadership needed to deliver the economic benefits focused Pan-Canadian Trust Framework and related DIACC innovation and outreach initiatives,” said Dave Nikolejsin, Chair of the DIACC Board.

The 2020 DIACC electoral slate:

  • Dave Nikolejsin, Independent & current DIACC Board Chair
  • Franklin Garrigues, Vice President Digital Channels, Mobile for Everyone, TD Bank & current Board Vice-Chair
  • Patrice Dagenais, Vice president, Payment and Business Partnerships for Desjardins Cards Services (DCS), Desjardins
  • Susie De Franco, General Manager Digital Channel & Products, Canada Post
  • Hugh McKee, Head of BMO Partners, BMO

DIACC Directors are elected industry leaders who set the organizational strategic directions, and ensure good governance is practiced, ensuring policies and procedures are continually improved and align with the vision and representation of DIACC membership. The DIACC Board members are: 

  • Dave Nikolejsin, Independent & Board Chair
  • Franklin Garrigues, Vice President Digital Channels, Mobile for Everyone, TD Bank & Board Vice-Chair
  • Andre Boysen, Chief Identity Officer, SecureKey & Board Treasurer
  • Colleen Boldon Director, Digital Lab and Digital ID Programs, Public Services and Smart Government, Province of New Brunswick
  • Marc Brouillard, Interim Chief Information Officer, Government of Canada
  • Neil Butters, Head, Digital Identity Innovation & New Ventures, Interac Corp.
  • Susie De Franco, General Manager Digital Channel & Products, Canada Post
  • Patrice Dagenais, Vice president, Payment and Business Partnerships for Desjardins Cards Services (DCS)
  • Robert Devries Assistant Deputy Minister, Enterprise Digital Services Integration Division, Ministry of Government and Consumer Services, Government of Ontario
  • Greg Elcich, Vice President of Innovation for CIBC
  • Allan Foster, ForgeRock, Chief Evangelist
  • Louis Jacob, Vice President, Core Engineering and Transformation at Manulife
  • Hugh McKee, BMO, Head of BMO Partners
  • CJ Ritchie, Associate Deputy Minister and Government Chief Information Officer, Province of BC
  • Eros Spadotto, Executive Vice-President, Technology Strategy, TELUS

About the Digital ID and Authentication Council of Canada

The Digital Identification and Authentication Council of Canada (DIACC) is the non-profit coalition of public and private sector leaders who are developing Canada’s system for digital identification and authentication to enable Canadians’ full and secure participation in the global digital economy. DIACC leverages broad Pan-Canadian and International input to collaboratively develop and publish the Pan-Canadian Trust Framework and other resources to secure public and private sector interoperability and advance the delivery of Canada’s Digital Identity Ecosystem.

Spotlight on Folio Technologies

1. What is the mission and vision of Folio?

We are in business to enable everyone to manage their own identity by building the most trusted mobile identity platform. We have a real opportunity to transform digital identity to be as convenient and accessible as it is secure and trustworthy:

  • Make securing digital credentials on a smartphone the new normal
  • Enable absolute privacy for every user in every situation
  • Establish an open, digital identity ecosystem
  • Provide an inclusive and accessible platform, free to the user
  • Lead the innovation of biometrics and AI to eradicate identity fraud

2.  Why is trustworthy digital identity critical for existing and emerging markets?

Digital trust will be crucial across the economy as now, more than ever, people need to be able to prove their identity and their status remotely.  

But digital and ‘trust’ don’t always marry well in people’s minds. Now with everything ‘going digital’ at a blistering rate, the individual needs to be in control – if they don’t trust, if they can’t access and feel secure… digital identity becomes a burden and a threat.

3.  How will digital identity transform the Canadian and global economy? How does Folio address challenges associated with this transformation?

Digital identity has the capacity to increase inclusion, citizen participation, and access to critical services for all. Rather than waiting 2 weeks for a face-to-face appointment with a local government department or driving 2 hours to the nearest bank, digital identity will allow all Canadians to prove who they are at the click of a button and unlock a wealth of sensitive and high-value services. We live in a connected world but the ability to prove your identity in that remote context has been slow to catch up. It’s time that we enable the same “contract of trust” that can be achieved in a face-to-face encounter but in a digital context.

At Folio, we believe all citizens should have choice and ownership of how they manage their identity, always taking active steps to build consent-driven, privacy-preserving solutions that nonetheless do not compromise on usability and experience. The self-sovereign, decentralised models will only thrive when the infrastructure suits the market and as such puts the citizen at the very centre of the ecosystem. Using Folio will allow Canadian citizens to register for a multi-purpose digital wallet, storing their credentials there and using them for an expanding set of services, private and public.

4. What role does Canada have to play as a leader in the space?

Canada is already contributing meaningfully to the global dialogue on digital identity, with DIACC facilitating debate, engagement and progress on critical pieces of infrastructure like standards and frameworks like the Pan Canadian Trust Framework (PCTF) that will enable decentralized digital identity and pave the way for international interoperability. Most importantly it’s the citizens themselves who are engaged and that is the most important stakeholder group. As the DIACC 2019 survey testified, 70 per cent of Canadians are ready to embrace digital identity as a means to improved inclusion and remote access to critical services. The expertise and know-how is there with exciting tech hubs across the provinces, regional governments approaching the topic with cautious optimism, and DIACC providing the forum and nurturing the dialogue between these stakeholder groups. It feels like Canada could be on the cusp of something exciting.

5.  Why did Folio join the DIACC?

Digital identity requires collaboration and Folio is committed to participate in the local and international communities that will be driving the development and adoption of technology innovation in this fast-moving space. DIACC represents a diverse cross section of public and private sector stakeholders who will help Folio understand the localised opportunities and participate in the development of the PCTF for best practice and interoperability. 

6.  What else should we know about Folio?

Folio Technologies (Folio) is HQ’d in London, operates globally and is part of the wider SGO Group. SGO is committed to innovative companies that demonstrate long-term promise in areas that enhance lives especially in the key areas of:

  • Identity, Health Passports and Privacy (Folio)
  • Democracy and citizen participation (e.g. Smartmatic)

SGO is built on the extraordinary success of Smartmatic, which leads the electronic voting industry in terms of revenue, profitability, geographical presence, innovation and quality of support services. SGO is headquartered in London.

Request for Comment and IPR Review: PCTF Credentials (Relationships & Attributes) Draft Recommendations V1.0

STATUS: This review is now closed. Thank you for your participation!

Notice of Intent: DIACC is collaborating to develop and publish a Credentials (Relationships & Attributes) industry standard as a component of the Pan-Canadian Trust Framework (PCTF) to set a baseline of public and private sector interoperability of identity services and solutions.

To learn more about the Pan-Canadian vision and benefits-for-all value proposition please review the Pan-Canadian Trust Framework Overview.

Document Status: These review documents have been approved as Draft Recommendations V1.0 by the DIACC’s Trust Framework Expert Committee (TFEC) that operates under the DIACC controlling policies.

Summary: This component specifies conformance criteria that Digital Identity Ecosystem Participants can use to assess the degree to which the ecosystem protects the use of digital Credentials. The scope of this component includes features of the digital Credential lifecycle and focuses on ensuring transparency and auditability as the primary methods for building trust across the Entities involved. Additional information can be found in the Component Overview linked below.

Invitation: All interested parties are invited to comment.

Period: Opens: June 1, 2020 at 23:59 PST | Closes: July 2, 2020 at 23:59 PST

Document: PCTF Credentials (Relationships & Attributes)

When reviewing this draft, consider the following and note that responses to these questions are non-binding and serve to improve the PCTF.

  1. The purpose of this component is to describe processes related to attributes and relationships. Is that sufficiently clear throughout the document?
  2. Is the title of this component sufficiently reflective of its contents?
  3. Are the attributes and relationships processes clearly explained?
  4. Is the distinction between the Define Attribute process, which describes a type or class of Attribute, and the Bind Attribute process, which describes the creation of an instance of an Attribute, sufficiently clear?
  5. Is the distinction between the Define Relationship process, which describes a type or class of Relationship, and the Declare Relationship process, which describes the creation of an instance of a Relationship, sufficiently clear?

Intellectual Property Rights: Comments must be received within the 30-day comment period noted above. All comments are subject to the DIACC contributor agreement; by submitting a comment you agree to be bound by the terms and conditions therein. DIACC Members are also subject to the Intellectual Property Rights Policy. Any notice of an intent not to license under either the Contributor Agreement and/or the Intellectual Property Rights Policy with respect to the review documents or any comments must be made at the Contributor’s and/or Member’s earliest opportunity, and in any event, within the 30-day comment period. IPR claims may be sent to review@diacc.ca. Please include “IPR Claim” as the subject.

Process:

  • All comments are subject to the DIACC contributor agreement.
  • Submit comments using the provided DIACC Comment Submission Spreadsheet.
  • Reference the draft and corresponding line number for each comment submitted.
  • Email completed DIACC Comment Submission Spreadsheet to review@diacc.ca.
  • Questions may be sent to review@diacc.ca.

Value to Canadians: The PCTF Credentials (Relationships & Attributes) Component will provide value to all Canadians, businesses, and governments by setting a baseline of business, legal, and technical interoperability. The DIACC’s mandate is to collaboratively develop and deliver resources to help Canadian’s to digitally transact with security, privacy, and convenience. The PCTF is one such resource that represents a collection of industry standards, best practices, and other resources that help to establish interoperability of an ecosystem of identity services and solutions. The DIACC is a not-for-profit coalition of members from the public and private sector who are making a significant and sustained investment in accelerating Canada’s Identity Ecosystem.

Context: The purpose of this Draft Recommendation review is to ensure transparency in the development and diversity of a truly Pan-Canadian, and international, input. In alignment with our Principles for an Identity Ecosystem, processes to respect and enhance privacy are being prioritized through every step of the PCTF development process.

DIACC expects to modify and improve these Draft Recommendations based upon public comments. Comments made during the review will be considered for incorporation into the next drafts and DIACC will prepare a Disposition of Comments to provide transparency with regard to how each comment was handled.  

Thank you for your support and participation in this review period.

Spotlight on Auth0

1. What is the mission of Auth0?

Auth0’s mission is to secure the world’s identities so the innovators can innovate, meaning we remove the hurdle of identity so application builders can focus on other things. Auth0 provides the simplicity, extensibility, and expertise to scale and protect identities in any application, for any audience.

2. Why is trustworthy digital identity critical for existing and emerging markets? 

From streaming your favorite television show to buying an airline ticket, no one can function without having some level of a digital identity. With credential stuffing, password spraying, phishing, and other malicious attempts constantly multiplying with no slowdown in sight, a trustworthy, secure digital identity practices must be put in place.

3. How will digital identity transform the Canadian and global economy? How does Auth0 address challenges associated with this transformation? 

On the business side, there is an increasing pressure to provide personalized services and seamless integration with other services your customer uses, while offering solid guarantees of privacy-preserving practices and resilience against increasingly sophisticated attacks. 
To meet these business demands, developers need to be able to rely on the best of breed of identity technologies and services, without being forced to become domain experts in security, identity, privacy, and all the other disciplines required to meet and exceed the high standards customers increasingly take for granted. 
Auth0 will continue to offer new and ever-improving ways of empowering application builders to easily handle the identity aspects in their solution, taking advantage of the new opportunities, features, and capabilities the industry and identity transformation will bring.   

4. What role does Canada have to play as a leader in the space? 

Canada is a leader in the identity space and a key contributor in the global movement to make digital identity secure and easily accessible for existing and emerging markets. 

5. Why did Auth0 join the DIACC? 

We’re thrilled to join the DIACC and connect and collaborate with leaders in the digital identity space, and aid Canada’s digital identity innovation efforts.

6. What else should we know about Auth0?

We recently launched Auth0 Signals, a collection of threat intelligence tools and product capabilities designed to protect customers from identity attacks for added value and security. By inserting threat intelligence and risk analysis into the IAM system, we’re reducing identity attack opportunities, offering a frictionless experience, and saving critical time and money for our users. 
Additionally, we recently unveiled Auth0 Explorer, an experimental research tool for application developers to map, visualize, and navigate the design of identity authentication architecture, a crucial element in the creation of secure applications. Auth0 Explorer is born from our ongoing and never-ending quest to make the very complex world of identity simpler for application builders.

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