Federal watchdog says lawful access bill poses privacy risks
Federal watchdog says lawful access bill poses privacy risks
Publish Date: 2026-05-26 22:36:00
Source Domain: www.theglobeandmail.com
Open this photo in gallery:
The Privacy Commissioner of Canada has recommended changes to the lawful access bill to protect privacy rights, including letting his office investigate data breaches linked to the new powers.Andrej Ivanov/The Globe and Mail
The federal privacy watchdog warned MPs Tuesday that the government’s lawful access bill in its current form poses risks to Canadians’ privacy.
Philippe Dufresne, Privacy Commissioner of Canada, recommended a number of changes to the bill to protect privacy rights, including allowing his office to investigate if data breaches result from application of the new powers in the legislation.
The bill would give the Minister of Public Safety the power to issue secret orders to force electronic service providers to facilitate the interception or retrieval of data to help the police and CSIS with investigations.
At a meeting of the Commons public safety committee, which is scrutinising the bill, tech giants Apple and Google warned MPs the bill could pose threats to both privacy and cybersecurity.
Erik Neuenschwander, Apple’s senior director of user privacy and child safety, told the committee that this is “maybe one of the last times we’re permitted to discuss the consequences of this legislation publicly.”
“That’s because of the bill’s secrecy provisions, which forbid companies like Apple from even discussing the orders we receive with our users or the public.”
Mr. Dufresne asked MPs to create an exemption to secrecy provisions in the bill to allow companies to disclose information to his office and other regulatory bodies, so they can discharge their duties.
Bill C-22 would require “electronic service providers” in Canada to adjust their systems to give surveillance and monitoring capabilities to police services and the Canadian Security Intelligence Service.
It could also force electronic service providers – such as phone companies, messaging apps and tech companies – to retain metadata relating…
