TikTok is challenging a federal order to close its operations in Canada, which could result in hundreds of jobs being cut and 250,000 contracts with Canadian advertising clients terminated. claims.
On December 5, the company filed documents in federal court in Vancouver seeking to revoke an order to liquidate and suspend its operations in Canada.
The government ordered the dissolution of TikTok’s Canadian operations in November following a national security review of the Chinese company that operates the social media platform.
That means TikTok will have to shut down its operations in Canada, but Canadians will still be able to use the app.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s Liberal government banned TikTok from operating in Canada, citing national security concerns, but Canadians can still use the app. Government officials said the decision was made based on advice from Canada’s security and intelligence community.
TikTok is asking the court to suspend the order while it argues to overturn the government’s decision.
It claims the minister’s decision was “unjust” and “based on an improper purpose”.
“TikTok Canada provides well-paying jobs to hundreds of Canadians and contributes millions of dollars annually to the Canadian economy,” the filing states. “Through the TikTok platform, Canadian businesses and content creators will be able to reach a global audience of more than 1 billion monthly users.”
The review was conducted under the Investment Canada Act, which allows the government to investigate foreign investments that could compromise national security.
Industry Minister François-Philippe Champagne said in a media statement at the time that the government was taking steps to address “specific national security risks,” but it was unclear what those risks were. Didn’t make it clear.
TikTok’s court application states that Champagne “failed to engage with TikTok Canada regarding the alleged nature of the concerns that led to the (order).”
The company claims the government ordered “measures that have no reasonable connection to the national security risks identified by the government.”
It said the reasons for the order were “incomprehensible, fail to articulate a rational chain of analysis, and are riddled with logical fallacies.”
TikTok Canada also claims to “participate in important public policy issues in Canada at the federal and provincial level, including issues related to online safety, elections, and culture.”
The company’s filing states that TikTok Canada “worked with Elections Canada and the Office of the Privy Councilor on a partnership to support election integrity on the TikTok platform.”
TikTok says Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada’s Foreign Investment Review and Economic Security Unit “abruptly” ended its national security review in late October, and a week later ordered the company to close its Canadian operations. He claims to have ordered it.
The company’s court application says there were “less burdensome” options than ordering a closure, and that the closure order “is important to Canadian creators, artists, businesses and the broader Canadian cultural community.” “This will cause the destruction of economic opportunities and intangible benefits.”
The company’s law firm, Osler, Hoskin & Harcourt LLP, declined to comment, while Champagne’s firm did not respond to a request for comment.
A TikTok spokesperson said in a statement that the order is aimed at “the hundreds of dedicated people who support TikTok’s community of more than 14 million monthly Canadian users, including businesses, advertisers, creators, and specially developed initiatives.” This will deprive local workers of their jobs and livelihoods.” For Canada. ”
