Fergus Linley-Mota

Fergus leads the Dialogue on Technology Project (DoT), the Centre for Dialogue’s flagship initiative on artificial intelligence (AI). Through 2024/25, he is developing programming to convene both expert and public stakeholders around AI's social and political impacts, with the goals of fostering evidence-based community participation and supporting policy development through targeted dialogue in this area.

Fergus comes to DoT from years of work in multi-stakeholder dialogue, including as co-founder and program coordinator (later advisor) of the Centre’s Cities and Climate Initiative, which convenes stakeholders from across levels of government and civil society to support multi-level climate governance in Canada, and at international gatherings like COP. He has also held research roles focusing on Canadian democratic culture, digital disinformation, and more recently on the relationship between emerging technology and politics. He is most fascinated by 'in-between' spaces – particularly at the intersection of nature and politics, and technology and society – and much of his work and studies have been focused on exploring and driving change in these areas.

Fergus holds a BA from SFU's School of International Studies and an MSc from the University of Oxford, where he focused on the intersection of global politics and technology. He has been recognized as a Leader of Tomorrow by Switzerland’s St. Gallen Symposium, and as a Fellow with both New Majority Canada and the Oxford Character Project. In his spare time, he enjoys playing soccer, making and listening to music, and exploring the world with his friends and family.

What does dialogue mean to you?

Dialogue, slightly counterintuitively, is first and foremost about listening. By holding a space for stakeholders of any kind to come together and listen to one another, and leaving room for the complexity, friction, empathy, and motivation for change that can emerge (sometimes all at once!), it can be truly wonderful to watch the results unfold.

What is a common assumption you'd like to de-mistify?

I think a lot of young Canadians feel like their voices don’t matter – that politics simply isn’t going to be influenced by our participation. While I really understand that feeling, I want to demystify the assumption that youth engagement doesn't make a difference.

History is filled with examples of young activists and voters driving significant change. From civil rights movements to climate action, young voices have been instrumental in shaping policies and pushing for progress. So, whether it’s at the voting booth or through programs and events of the kind put on by the Centre, Public Square, CityHive and more, by actively participating in our democracy, young people can help shape a better future for ourselves and generations to come.