TikTok CEO Seeks Emergency Meeting With Canada Over Shutdown Order
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TikTok chief executive Shou Chew sent a letter dated July 2 requesting an urgent in‑person meeting with Industry Minister Mélanie Joly after the federal government ordered the company to wind down its Canadian operations; Chew called the directive “outdated and counterproductive” and asked for talks before the August deadline takes effect.
Chew warned that complying with the shutdown would force TikTok to fire all Canadian staff, halt hundreds of millions in planned investment, and withdraw support for local creators—moves he argued would harm Canada’s digital economy without addressing national‑security concerns.
Ottawa has not yet responded publicly, but the plea comes as public pressure mounts; Canadian media and social feeds lit up Wednesday with screenshots of error messages forecasting the app’s potential closure, while critics urged the government to publish evidence behind the ban before the August enforcement date.
