In recent months, I've been on the front lines of a major debate regarding the Liberal government’s mass surveillance proposal, Bill C-22, the Liberals' so-called Lawful Access Act.
If passed in its current form, this new law will give the federal government and law enforcement agencies (including CSIS, the RCMP and police forces) unprecedented new surveillance powers to track Canadians' online activities.
While the Carney government claims this legislation will simply modernize law enforcement's tool-box, many privacy law experts, tech companies and businesses — of every size — are concerned that your privacy and cybersecurity are at serious risk.
This bill will also permit law enforcement to demand information from electronic service providers (ESPs) without a warrant and force them to store your “metadata” for up to a year, even if you’re not suspected of having committed a crime.
More alarmingly, C-22 will also permit secret ministerial orders and the installation of government spyware while creating “backdoors” and pools of new metadata that hackers or hostile foreign regimes could target and exploit.
While my colleagues and I support giving law enforcement the tools needed to fight fast-moving financial crimes, human trafficking and criminal networks in Canada, we cannot support giving the government a blank cheque to surveil your digital and online activities.
If you share our concerns, please sign below.
As always, I'm most grateful for your time and effort.
Our Petition
Whereas C-22, as currently drafted, will allow the federal government to secretly order ESPs to create tools that turn on microphones and cameras, weaken encryption, and put Canadians’ private communications, financial information, and personal security at risk;
Whereas this bill will also impact banks, online retailers, automakers, countless small businesses and hometown 'mom and pop' shops; and,
Whereas law enforcement agencies do require tools to investigate child predators, organized crime, terrorists, and cybercriminals, Canadians’ Charter rights, privacy, and freedoms must not be sacrificed in the process,
Therefore, we call on the Liberal government to stop its surveillance agenda, safeguard Canadians’ privacy, and amend Bill C-22 accordingly.