Justin Trudeau didn’t announce that the government is passing a ‘Digital Existence Act’

Over the last few years, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has encountered a fair amount of pushback over policies intended to stem COVID-19’s spread.

But an Aug. 29 Instagram post says Trudeau announced he’s responding to a new variant by imposing some controversial digital systems.

"The Eris variant is spreading across the globe, and my Government is ready to act," read what looks like a picture of Trudeau’s Aug. 24 post on X, formerly Twitter. "That’s why we’re passing the ‘Digital Existence Act.’ This law will keep Canadians safe by expediting the transition to Digital ID, Central Bank Digital Currency, and a Social Credit system."

This post was flagged as part of Meta’s efforts to combat false news and misinformation on its News Feed. (Read more about our partnership with Meta, which owns Facebook and Instagram.)

That’s because this X post was not made by Trudeau, but by a self-described parody account named "Justin Trudeau’s Ego."

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stated on October 29, 2024 in a Threads post

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There is no current bill by the Canadian Parliament titled the "Digital Existence Act." There are no bills that would "expedite the transition" to the aforementioned policies, either. The government is exploring the possibility of implementing digital IDs and a central bank digital currency, but these plans have not been finalized.

As of January, the federal government was still "in the planning stages of a digital credential eco-system" and said it would hold consultations for such developments. 

Canadian provinces British Columbia and Alberta have implemented their own digital credentials. The government said these credentials are "completely voluntary." 

Meanwhile, the Bank of Canada said it is exploring the possibility of issuing a central bank digital currency. It held public consultation on the matter from May 8 to June 19. 

"We don’t see a need for a digital dollar right now. But Canada may need one in the future, so we need to get ready," its website said. The decision on whether to issue a digital Canadian dollar would be made by Canada’s government and Parliament. The bank said a central bank digital currency would not replace cash.

We rate the claim that Trudeau announced a "Digital Existence Act" False.