EDITOR’S NOTE: An earlier headline incorrectly stated that the Liberals were axing the plan to let police access online data without a warrant. This has been corrected. They tabled new border bill legislation that does not include that provision, but say they will still pursue it under separate legislation.
The Liberal government on Wednesday tabled a new version of its sweeping border security bill that removes a controversial proposal to make it easier for police to access Canadians’ internet data without a warrant.
But Public Safety Minister Gary Anandasangaree said he still wants those “lawful access” powers, as well as other parts of Bill C-2 that raised privacy concerns, to be considered separately while hopefully gaining “broader support” for the border and immigration changes that will now be prioritized under the new bill, now dubbed C-12.
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“From the outset, I’ve been very clear …. that we are open and willing to work with stakeholders as well as all parties on strengthening the bill, and making sure that it finds the right balance between civil liberties and the ability of law enforcement to more effectively do their jobs,” the minister told reporters after tabling the bill in the House of Commons.
The so-called “lawful access” provision in the original bill, dubbed the Strong Borders Act, would have allowed law enforcement to demand subscription and transmission data from any online provider in Canada without a judicial warrant under a threshold privacy experts warned was dangerously low.
Bill C-12 removes that provision as well as one that would have expanded the ability to inspect Canada Post mail, and an anti-money laundering measure that would have set a $10,000 limit for cash payments and deposits.
Conservatives had said in recent days they wouldn’t support Bill C-2 unless the police search powers were removed, threatening the minority Liberals’ chance to pass legislation they have said would address border security demands from the Trump administration.
Anandasangaree denied he split up Bill C-2 under pressure from the Prime Minister’s Office to get those border measures passed.
“This happened as a result of conversations I’ve had with a number of people,” he said, including “a range of stakeholders as well as parliamentarians.”
More to come…
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