Letter to the Editor

I’ve been very concerned to learn about the government’s new surveillance bill, Bill C-22, the Lawful Access Act. I believe, like many organizations that have spoken against it, that it is one of the greatest threats to our privacy of the last two decades.

Bill C-22 threatens our Charter rights by:

• Granting police easier access to our personal information.
• Forcing companies to create backdoors to allow police and spy agencies to scoop up our personal data and communications, making online protections like encryption meaningless.
• Allowing the government to order companies to hold on to our personal information for up to a year, creating a treasure trove of data to be targeted by hackers.
• Risking more of our information being shared with US intelligence and law enforcement agencies whom we have watched target activists, organizers, marginalized communties, and anyone else with whom they deem a perceived ‘threat.’
• Increasing the powers and reach of Canadian police and intelligence agencies, who have a long history of spying on and undermining activists, organizers, and marginalized communities.

The government is once again rushing a dangerous bill through Parliament; this one threatening our privacy as well as our security online.

Several MPs, cybersecurity experts, the Canadian Chamber of Commerce, Apple, Meta, Signal, NordVPN and even US Congressional leaders have warned against this bill. It’s time for the government to listen and protect the rights of people in Canada.

Connie Jones,

Kimberley

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