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4th Session, 41st Legislature

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Bill 237

THE TECHNOLOGY ADVISORY COUNCIL ACT


Table of Contents Bilingual version (PDF) Explanatory Note

(Assented to                                         )

HER MAJESTY, by and with the advice and consent of the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba, enacts as follows:

Definitions

1

The following definitions apply in this Act.

"council" means the Technology Advisory Council established by section 2. (« Conseil »)

"minister" means the minister appointed by the Lieutenant Governor in Council to administer this Act. (« ministre »)

Council established

2

The Technology Advisory Council is hereby established.

Role of council

3(1)

The role of the council is to advise and make recommendations to the minister about the economic, ethical, social and scientific impacts of current and emerging technologies, including but not limited to

(a) artificial intelligence;

(b) self-driving vehicles;

(c) genetic engineering;

(d) automation;

(e) machine learning;

(f) block chain technology; and

(g) advanced primary research.

Periodic review

3(2)

The minister must meet with the council to review and revise the categories of technologies that the council is considering at least every five years to ensure that they remain relevant.

Composition of council

4(1)

The council is to consist of at least nine persons appointed by the minister who are experts in the fields of science, technology, economics, ethics, and other relevant fields.

Term of office

4(2)

Members are to be appointed for a term not exceeding three years.

Appointment continues

4(3)

When a member's term expires, the member continues to hold office until he or she is re-appointed, the appointment is revoked or a successor is appointed.

Chair and vice-chair

5

The minister must designate one of the appointed members of the council as chair and another as vice-chair, to act as chair when the chair is absent or unable to act.

Meetings

6

The council must meet at least three times in every fiscal year.

Annual report

7(1)

The council must prepare and submit to the minister an annual report that must include the following:

(a) information on the work of the council during the year;

(b) a summary of recommendations and advice the council made during the year; and

(c) any other information that the council considers relevant.

Tabling report in Assembly

7(2)

The minister must table a copy of the annual report in the Assembly on any of the first 15 days on which the Assembly is sitting after the minister receives it.

C.C.S.M. reference

8

This Act may be referred to as chapter T37 of the Continuing Consolidation of the Statutes of Manitoba.

Coming into force

9

This Act comes into force on the day it receives royal assent.

Explanatory Note

This Bill establishes the Technology Advisory Council to provide information, advice and recommendations to the minister about the economic, ethical, social and scientific impacts of current and emerging technologies.