A Liberal government bill that proposes giving police and spies easier access to information during investigations has fallen into the crosshairs of U.S. tech giants and two American congressional committees, threatening to become the latest irritant in the Canada-U.S. relationship.
The Lawful Access Two-Headed Surveillance Monster: How Bill C-22 Went Off the Rails - Michael Geist
The government’s plans for lawful access have gone off the rails. In recent days, Signal has warned it would pull out of the Canadian market rather than comply with Bill C-22. Windscribe, the Toronto-headquartered VPN provider, has said it would relocate its headquarters out of Canada and NordVPN has warned it would consider following suit. Apple and Meta have both raised public concerns about the bill’s effect on encryption and cybersecurity. The Canadian Chamber of Commerce, the Cybersecurity Advisors Network, civil liberties groups, and a long line of legal and security experts have all called for changes. The chairs of the U.S. House Judiciary and Foreign Affairs Committees have written to Public Safety Minister Gary Anandasangaree warning that the bill threatens U.S. national security and the integrity of cross-border data flows. Even the bill’s own oversight body, the National Security and Intelligence Review Agency, has told the SECU committee it does not have the access it needs for effective oversight. If the government thought it could push through the bill largely unnoticed, it has been proven painfully wrong as there are now trade frictions with the U.S., the prospect of leading companies exiting the Canadian market, and weaker cybersecurity protections for ordinary users. How did Canada’s lawful access plan go awry so quickly?
Facing mounting backlash, Anandasangaree says U.S. tech companies are 'misinterpreting' his lawful access bill | CBC News
Public Safety Minister Gary Anandasangaree accused U.S. tech giants of "misinterpreting" his lawful access bill, which promises to give police and spies faster access to Canadians' information during investigations, as the proposed legislation faces growing backlash south of the border.
Canada’s Bill C-22 and the security cost of collecting more data
Canada’s Bill C-22 risks forcing secure services to retain more metadata and build access systems. Tailscale explains why the bill should change.
Home - Canadian Constitution Foundation
Bill C-22 seeks to expand government surveillance and turn your cell phone into a tracking device.
Apple Warns Canada's Bill C-22 Could Force Encryption Backdoors
Apple and Meta have opposed a Canadian bill that the companies say could force them to create backdoor access to encrypted user data, should it pass through the country's parliament. Proposed by Canada's ruling Liberal Party, Bill C-22 contains provisions that could be similar to a UK data access provision order sent to Apple last year, depending on how they are implemented.
Bill C-22’s Groundhog Day: Why the Government’s Dismissal of Signal, Apple and the U.S. Congress Concerns Runs Back the Disastrous Online News Act Playbook - Michael Geist
Secure messaging service Signal yesterday became the latest company to warn that Bill C-22, the lawful access bill, could force it to leave the Canadian market rather than comply with provisions it says would compromise its end-to-end encryption and create new cybersecurity risks. Signal vice-president Udbhav Tiwari told the Globe and Mail that the company “would rather pull out of the country than be compelled to compromise on the privacy promises we have made to our users.” The comments are part of a steady stream of similar warnings from Apple, Meta, the Canadian Chamber of Commerce, the Cybersecurity Advisors Network, and the chairs of the U.S. House Judiciary and Foreign Affairs Committees. Despite growing concern, the government’s response has been to launch a misleading social media campaign and repeatedly insist that the experts and companies are mistaken.
Stop Bill C-22!
🚨 Bill C-22 forces every Canadian internet provider, messaging app & cloud service to build surveillance backdoors and store a year of your data. Foreign state hackers exploited similar legislation in the US. Shut the backdoor: https://openmedia.org/StopC22 #BillC22
Lawful-access bill could threaten encryption, deter investment, Chamber of Commerce warns
Bill would require telecoms, internet companies to change systems to give surveillance, monitoring capabilities to authorities
Signal warns it would pull out of Canada if made to comply with lawful access bill
Secure messaging service says it will not weaken its encryption, privacy safeguards for government
Kiss your online privacy goodbye with Bill C-22, Canada
Civil liberties groups, legal experts and the Canadian Chamber of Commerce have been sounding the alarm for months on the privacy and cybersecurity issues contained in the Carney government’s Lawful Access Act, or Bill C-22. In a not-so-surprising twist, American lawmakers have now also added their voice to those warning about the bill.
Tell Congress to Say No to Warrantless AI Mass Surveillance
The War on Terror-era legislation that authorized decades of civil liberties-eroding mass surveillance expired June 12. . Congress has a choice to make before they reauthorize this bill: will they greenlight warrantless mass surveillance of American citizens, or uphold the Constitution and prevent more of Trump's authoritarian powergrabs? Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) was passed in 2008 as a counterterrorist measure, but has a long history of abuse from the federal government, especially when it comes to surveillance. Congress has a choice to make: Will they greenlight warrantless mass surveillance, or hold the line and reject any effort to move forward without serious privacy guardrails. FISA as it is currently written: Allows warrantless backdoor surveillance of people in and out of the country Offers little to no protections against the administration targeting critics, activists, religious minorities, or communities of color Actively chills our freedoms of speech and association Two years ago, this reauthorization legislation sailed through Congress with bipartisan support. That can’t happen again. Democratic leadership and members must hold the line for our civil liberties. And any Democrat or Republican voting for unfettered spying on US citizens should hear from their constituents. Let your Members of Congress know you expect them to reject reauthorization unless it includes significant reforms to protect our civil liberties against this authoritarian regime.
Stop Bill C-22. Stop surveillance in Canada.
Make your voice heard! Explore the Justice Centre's petitions advocating for Canadian rights and freedoms. Join fellow citizens in supporting important causes.
We Hunted Hidden Secret Police Signals at the DNC in Chicago
The US is a secret police state. Using special software, WIRED collected signals from nearly 300,000 devices, revealing vulnerabilities for both law enforcement and everyday citizens alike.
America Doesn’t Need to Invade Canada. It Has Our Data | The Walrus
From cloud servers to AI patents, digital dependence is becoming a new form of power
CanadaGPT - Canadian Government Accountability & Transparency Platform
Track Canadian MPs, federal bills, parliamentary debates, lobbying activities, and government spending. Access comprehensive data on House of Commons proceedings, committee work, and political accountability with AI-powered insights.
Canada Has a Precedent to Regulate Surveillance Pricing
Canada already has the legal framework to curb surveillance pricing by treating it as unfair discrimination, argues Emily Osborne
