Montreal, June 17, 2026 — Before a packed room in Montreal bringing together decision-makers, experts and committed organizations, Données Souveraines Québec (DSQ) unveiled its Manifesto for Sovereign Data Governance, marking a decisive milestone in mobilizing for Québec's digital autonomy.
Image credit: La Presse
A clear call to take back control
In his opening remarks, Paul Allard, president and co-founder of DSQ, stressed the urgency of acting:
"Québec must take back control of its digital destiny. We can no longer depend on infrastructure and decisions made elsewhere if we want to protect our economy and our data. This situation creates major legal, economic and strategic risks. The recent suspension of access to some of Anthropic's most advanced models, following a U.S. government directive, is an eloquent example."
A structured plan for action
Executive Director Gilbert Ouellette presented the organization's priorities:
"Our objective is clear: to move from observation to action in order to structure this transformation. The manifesto, the state-of-play report and the roadmap are three essential tools whose first tangible results will be made public next fall."
Four pillars to build digital sovereignty
The manifesto is built around four major orientations:
- Master and host strategic data
- Reduce technological dependency
- Promote free software and open standards
- Make digital sovereignty a driver of economic development
A province-wide mobilization of experts
Florian Strich, chair of the drafting committee, presented the collaborative approach:
"This roadmap is the result of a collective effort. It mobilizes experts from several sectors to transform our ambitions into concrete, actionable measures."
Six thematic committees have been established to cover key issues, including data governance, infrastructure, artificial intelligence and free software.
An unprecedented tool to measure digital sovereignty
DSQ also announced the creation, in collaboration with Persévère Conseils, of a Digital Sovereignty Index to assess the maturity of Québec organizations:
"We want to give organizations a concrete tool to assess their level of maturity and accelerate their transition toward greater digital autonomy," stated Paul Allard.
A rapidly growing movement
The event confirms the growing interest in digital sovereignty in Québec and positions DSQ as a structuring player in this emerging ecosystem.
About Données Souveraines Québec Données Souveraines Québec is an association that brings together companies, experts and institutions committed to promoting sovereign digital governance and infrastructure.