The Liberal government香蕉视频直播檚 move to order the shutdown of TikTok香蕉视频直播檚 Canadian operations over national security concerns has left hundreds of the company香蕉视频直播檚 Canadian employees in limbo.

Ottawa hasn香蕉视频直播檛 publicly specified the date by which TikTok has to comply, and while the company has pledged to fight the order in court, it香蕉视频直播檚 also talking to the government in hopes of finding a 香蕉视频直播渟olution.香蕉视频直播�

On Nov. 6, the federal government announced it ordered the dissolution of TikTok香蕉视频直播檚 Canadian business after a national security review of the Chinese company behind the social media platform. That means TikTok must 香蕉视频直播渨ind down香蕉视频直播� its operations in Canada, though the app will continue to be available to Canadians.

When the government made the announcement, Erin Lowers was at take-your-kid-to-work day, doing a sneaker-painting activity with her niece. TikTok arranged interviews with her and several of the other affected employees for The Canadian Press.

The company was hosting teens that day, telling them 香蕉视频直播渆verything about how lovely our work is, how much we love to do what we do, how we got into our positions,香蕉视频直播� recalled Lowers, the music lead for the company香蕉视频直播檚 global public policy and product team.

香蕉视频直播淵ou have to put on a brave face,香蕉视频直播� she said. 香蕉视频直播淚 can香蕉视频直播檛 sit there and tell my niece the reality of what could happen.香蕉视频直播�

Vanessa Gaik, executive director of brand partnerships, said people are afraid of losing their jobs ahead of the holidays.

There are 香蕉视频直播渁 lot of folks that are trying to power through, that have a really good attitude. But right now, I think the silence and not having any answers has been really troubling for a lot of the people on the team.香蕉视频直播�

Neil Cameron, TikTok香蕉视频直播檚 head of Canadian agency partnerships, said the energy in the office changes 香蕉视频直播渄ay by day.香蕉视频直播�

香蕉视频直播淧eople are really trying to put on a brave face, but it香蕉视频直播檚 really hard when you香蕉视频直播檙e faced with such uncertainty.香蕉视频直播�

Steve de Eyre, the company香蕉视频直播檚 director of public policy and government affairs, is getting down to business as usual 香蕉视频直播� which includes lobbying the same federal government that has ordered the company to shut down.

He said his work includes 香蕉视频直播渕aking sure that government agencies, members of Parliament, regulators, understand what the impact of this order would be.香蕉视频直播�

TikTok Canada is hoping to find a 香蕉视频直播渟olution香蕉视频直播� to the situation, de Eyre said.

香蕉视频直播淲e continue and will continue to reiterate to the government our desire to find a solution that is in the best interests of Canadians.香蕉视频直播�

The government seems unconvinced. A spokesperson for Industry Minister Fran莽ois-Philippe Champagne said the government香蕉视频直播檚 decision is final, and there is no other possibility.

The review that banned the company香蕉视频直播檚 Canadian operation was carried out through the Investment Canada Act, which allows the government to investigate any foreign investment with potential to harm national security.

Champagne said in a statement on Nov. 6 the decision was the result of a 香蕉视频直播渕ulti-step national security review process, which involves rigorous scrutiny by Canada香蕉视频直播檚 national security and intelligence community.香蕉视频直播�

It said the government was taking action to address 香蕉视频直播渟pecific national security risks,香蕉视频直播� though it didn香蕉视频直播檛 specify what those risks are. Champagne has said the Investment Canada Act doesn香蕉视频直播檛 allow him to disclose details of the review.

Privacy and safety concerns have swirled around TikTok and its China-based parent company ByteDance Ltd. because of Chinese national security laws that compel organizations in the country to assist with intelligence gathering.

In the United States, those concerns could lead to the app itself being banned in the new year.

Last week, a U.S court ruled that a law that requires ByteDance to divest its stakes in TikTok or face a ban is constitutional. On Monday, TikTok asked the court to bar the administration of U.S. President Joe Biden from enforcing the law. It argues if the law is not overturned, the app will shut down by Jan. 19, 2025, affecting more than 170 million American users.

While the app would remain available to Canadian users, one argument against closing down the Canadian offices is that doing so would make it more difficult for the government to regulate TikTok.

De Eyre said the company has been engaged around various legislation 香蕉视频直播� getting involved in the process of passing and implementing the Online Streaming Act, for example, and partnering with Elections Canada in the last federal election to provide information about voting.

He notes his team, too, is Canadian. 香蕉视频直播淲e香蕉视频直播檝e all worked in government. We all love this country. We understand the political system,香蕉视频直播� he said.

香蕉视频直播淲e think it香蕉视频直播檚 in everyone香蕉视频直播檚 best interest for there to be employees in Canada that are operating under Canadian law, that are paying Canadian taxes, and are providing localization to the platform.香蕉视频直播�

The prospect of the TikTok offices shuttering has those employees weighing what香蕉视频直播檚 next.

Cameron said a potential ban would have a huge personal and professional impact, given there are maybe one or two similar roles in Canada. 香蕉视频直播淚香蕉视频直播檝e really worked hard for 27 years in this industry to earn this role.香蕉视频直播�

Similarly, Lowers said it would be very difficult for her to find another comparable job in Canada.

香蕉视频直播淚 might have to leave the country.香蕉视频直播�