BC Green Party leader calls for AI moratorium until government can ‘regulate’ it

VANCOUVER — BC Green Party leader Emily Lowan has called for a pause on AI usage until the government can properly "regulate" it..In a statement provided to party members and posted to the BC Green’s official website on March 20, the BC Green Party leader called for a full-blown AI “moratorium” — including a ban on AI offering physical and mental health advice, legal guidance, engineering input, or assistance with political communication — until the government can adequately “regulate” the technology.“The ‘invest first, regulate later’ model is untenable,” said Lowan in the Friday statement to party members. “AI corporations have shown flagrant disregard for working peoples’ rights, safety, and privacy.”Lowan, as part of her statement, also shared evidence that Rick Glumac held investments in ETF Global X Artificial Intelligence & Technology, which holds shares in what she calls “predatory AI corporations” — naming Palantir and Oracle, specifically.“Palantir and Oracle hold contracts with ICE and have been accused of widespread, unregulated surveillance,” said the party's March 20 statement.The video drew immediate pushback online..In a reply on X, former BC Conservative Party board member and OneBC executive director Paul Ratchford called Lowan’s attack “hilarious” and “conspiracy peddling,” arguing Glumac’s stake could be as small as “$20 or $50” and linking to the minister’s 2025 public disclosure filing.Notably, both publicly traded companies are also listed as investments within the Canadian Pension Plan meaning Lowan herself is an indirect investor.In response to the BC Green Party's statement, The Western Standard sent Lowan a list of follow-up questions, including whether the BC Green Party intends to advocate for the Canada Pension Plan Investment Board to divest from Palantir and Oracle.The Western Standard also questioned whether BC Green Party members, candidates, and staff have had their own investment portfolios vetted to ensure compliance with the party’s boycott, divestment and ethical investment standards.No response was received.

BC Green Party leader calls for AI moratorium until government can ‘regulate’ it

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