AI Minister to Meet OpenAI Over Tumbler Ridge Shooter's Chat History
Canada's Minister of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Innovation, Evan Solomon, has announced he will meet with members of OpenAI's security team to discuss safety protocols. This follows reports that the company did not alert Canadian police to online activities it had flagged regarding the shooter responsible for the killings in Tumbler Ridge, British Columbia.
Deeply Disturbing Reports Prompt Action
Solomon called those reports "deeply disturbing" and revealed that both he and his team contacted the company over the weekend. "I have summoned the senior safety team from OpenAI in the United States to come here to Ottawa," he announced on Parliament Hill on Monday, February 23, 2026.
"They will come here tomorrow, and we will have a sit-down meeting to have an explanation of their safety protocols and when they escalate and their thresholds of escalation to police," Solomon continued. "So we have a better understanding of what's happening and what they do."
OpenAI's Confirmation and Internal Thresholds
OpenAI has confirmed that a ChatGPT account linked to Jesse Van Rootselaar was flagged last June for activities that violated its policies. Although the account was banned, the company confirmed in an email on Saturday that it had considered alerting Canadian police about the violent activity detected on the account.
Ultimately, OpenAI did not notify authorities after determining that the activity did not meet the internal threshold to warrant a warning. The company confirmed that it informed the Royal Canadian Mounted Police about Van Rootselaar's activities after the shooting occurred.
National Outcry and Investigation
The development, first reported in the Wall Street Journal, led British Columbia Premier David Eby to call it "profoundly disturbing." The RCMP has stated that Van Rootselaar died from a self-inflicted injury after entering Tumbler Ridge Secondary School on February 10, where he shot and killed eight people, most of whom were children, and injured others.
The shooting has led to an outpouring of shock across the country, and RCMP say the case remains under investigation. Solomon emphasized that he was working with federal colleagues across justice and public safety, as well as Canadian Heritage, which is tasked with evaluating options for new measures to better protect Canadians online, particularly youth.
All Options on the Table
"All options are on the table," Solomon declared on Monday. "We have to hear from OpenAI and their protocols. We have to hear their safety protocols. We have to hear their escalation thresholds, and we are going to get more details on that."
The minister's proactive approach highlights growing concerns about AI safety and the responsibilities of technology companies in preventing real-world violence. This meeting represents a significant step in addressing how artificial intelligence platforms handle potentially dangerous content and their communication with law enforcement agencies.
