The Liberal government91裸聊视频檚 move to order the shutdown of TikTok91裸聊视频檚 Canadian operations over national security concerns has left hundreds of the company91裸聊视频檚 Canadian employees in limbo.
Ottawa hasn91裸聊视频檛 publicly specified the date by which TikTok has to comply, and while the company has pledged to fight the order in court, it91裸聊视频檚 also talking to the government in hopes of finding a 91裸聊视频渟olution.91裸聊视频�
On Nov. 6, the federal government announced it ordered the dissolution of TikTok91裸聊视频檚 Canadian business after a national security review of the Chinese company behind the social media platform. That means TikTok must 91裸聊视频渨ind down91裸聊视频� its operations in Canada, though the app will continue to be available to Canadians.
When the government made the announcement, Erin Lowers was at take-your-kid-to-work day, doing a sneaker-painting activity with her niece. TikTok arranged interviews with her and several of the other affected employees for The Canadian Press.
The company was hosting teens that day, telling them 91裸聊视频渆verything about how lovely our work is, how much we love to do what we do, how we got into our positions,91裸聊视频� recalled Lowers, the music lead for the company91裸聊视频檚 global public policy and product team.
91裸聊视频淵ou have to put on a brave face,91裸聊视频� she said. 91裸聊视频淚 can91裸聊视频檛 sit there and tell my niece the reality of what could happen.91裸聊视频�
Vanessa Gaik, executive director of brand partnerships, said people are afraid of losing their jobs ahead of the holidays.
There are 91裸聊视频渁 lot of folks that are trying to power through, that have a really good attitude. But right now, I think the silence and not having any answers has been really troubling for a lot of the people on the team.91裸聊视频�
Neil Cameron, TikTok91裸聊视频檚 head of Canadian agency partnerships, said the energy in the office changes 91裸聊视频渄ay by day.91裸聊视频�
91裸聊视频淧eople are really trying to put on a brave face, but it91裸聊视频檚 really hard when you91裸聊视频檙e faced with such uncertainty.91裸聊视频�
Steve de Eyre, the company91裸聊视频檚 director of public policy and government affairs, is getting down to business as usual 91裸聊视频� which includes lobbying the same federal government that has ordered the company to shut down.
He said his work includes 91裸聊视频渕aking sure that government agencies, members of Parliament, regulators, understand what the impact of this order would be.91裸聊视频�
TikTok Canada is hoping to find a 91裸聊视频渟olution91裸聊视频� to the situation, de Eyre said.
91裸聊视频淲e continue and will continue to reiterate to the government our desire to find a solution that is in the best interests of Canadians.91裸聊视频�
The government seems unconvinced. A spokesperson for Industry Minister Fran莽ois-Philippe Champagne said the government91裸聊视频檚 decision is final, and there is no other possibility.
The review that banned the company91裸聊视频檚 Canadian operation was carried out through the Investment Canada Act, which allows the government to investigate any foreign investment with potential to harm national security.
Champagne said in a statement on Nov. 6 the decision was the result of a 91裸聊视频渕ulti-step national security review process, which involves rigorous scrutiny by Canada91裸聊视频檚 national security and intelligence community.91裸聊视频�
It said the government was taking action to address 91裸聊视频渟pecific national security risks,91裸聊视频� though it didn91裸聊视频檛 specify what those risks are. Champagne has said the Investment Canada Act doesn91裸聊视频檛 allow him to disclose details of the review.
Privacy and safety concerns have swirled around TikTok and its China-based parent company ByteDance Ltd. because of Chinese national security laws that compel organizations in the country to assist with intelligence gathering.
In the United States, those concerns could lead to the app itself being banned in the new year.
Last week, a U.S court ruled that a law that requires ByteDance to divest its stakes in TikTok or face a ban is constitutional. On Monday, TikTok asked the court to bar the administration of U.S. President Joe Biden from enforcing the law. It argues if the law is not overturned, the app will shut down by Jan. 19, 2025, affecting more than 170 million American users.
While the app would remain available to Canadian users, one argument against closing down the Canadian offices is that doing so would make it more difficult for the government to regulate TikTok.
De Eyre said the company has been engaged around various legislation 91裸聊视频� getting involved in the process of passing and implementing the Online Streaming Act, for example, and partnering with Elections Canada in the last federal election to provide information about voting.
He notes his team, too, is Canadian. 91裸聊视频淲e91裸聊视频檝e all worked in government. We all love this country. We understand the political system,91裸聊视频� he said.
91裸聊视频淲e think it91裸聊视频檚 in everyone91裸聊视频檚 best interest for there to be employees in Canada that are operating under Canadian law, that are paying Canadian taxes, and are providing localization to the platform.91裸聊视频�
The prospect of the TikTok offices shuttering has those employees weighing what91裸聊视频檚 next.
Cameron said a potential ban would have a huge personal and professional impact, given there are maybe one or two similar roles in Canada. 91裸聊视频淚91裸聊视频檝e really worked hard for 27 years in this industry to earn this role.91裸聊视频�
Similarly, Lowers said it would be very difficult for her to find another comparable job in Canada.
91裸聊视频淚 might have to leave the country.91裸聊视频�
