Pro-freedom group warns new bill could allow Liberal gov’t to ‘monitor Canadians online’

OTTAWA (LifeSiteNews) — A top Canadian constitutional legal group says a new Liberal bill that gives police power to monitor and search Canadians’ online digital activity without a warrant will “erode privacy and civil rights” of citizens.

In a recent press release, the Democracy Fund (TDF) warned that the Liberal federal government’s Bill C-22, An Act Respecting Lawful Access, contains “provisions that intrude on the privacy of Canadians.”

“Bill C-22 and Bill C-9 are both framed as laws to keep Canadians ‘safe.’ However, the government already has laws in place to prevent and punish online malfeasance,” said TDF litigation director Mark Joseph.

“With Bill C-22 and other bills, the government proposes to erode privacy and civil rights so it can surveil and monitor Canadians more effectively, regardless of whether authorities reasonably believe lawbreaking has occurred or may occur.”

Joseph warned that the government’s “compelling service providers to ‘warehouse user information for a year so that state authorities can use it upon mere suspicion of wrongdoing,” will inevitably lead to ‘governmental overreach and abuse.”

Bill C-22 was introduced recently by Canadian Public Safety Minister Gary Anandasangaree.

This bill was introduced purportedly to address privacy concerns relating to another bill, Bill C-2, that would have permitted police and government officials to open and examine Canadians’ personal mail and would also ban cash donations over $10,000.

READ: Spread the word: Protests against Bill C-9 taking place across Canada on May 1

After backlash late last year about Bill C-2, Anandasangaree said he would rewrite portions of the bill. However, Bill C-22 contains concerning language, largely taken from Bill C-2, regarding Canadians’ online privacy.

The TDF said that Bill C-22 builds a clear “legal structure” requiring internet service providers to assist law enforcement in monitoring users and facilitating access to user information.”

“The bill also makes it easier for police to access user information: it allows police to obtain a court order to access user information when they merely reasonably suspect—rather than reasonably believe – that a crime may have been or will be committed,” warned the TDF.

“Other ‘electronic service providers’ (which includes almost any business that provides electronic or digital services to Canadians) must reasonably assist police in assessing or testing any device, equipment or other thing that may enable authorities to access user information.”

The TDF said that as a result of the new bill, police may ask the court to “prohibit disclosure of its request to access user information, essentially surveilling the user secretly.”

Along with the TDF, the Justice Centre for Constitutional Freedoms (JCCF) has also warned about Bill C-22, saying it will “significantly expand government surveillance powers.”

The JCCF recently launched a petition to try to stop the bill.

Trudeau’s legacy of censorship bills has continued with Prime Minister Mark Carney.

Indeed, Bill C-9, known as the “Combating Hate Act,” was passed by the House of Commons earlier this week and now awaits Senate approval. The bill opens the door to the criminalization of religious expression and belief when quoting certain parts of the Bible.

Carney has globalist ties and was called the World Economic Forum’s “golden boy” by Conservative Party of Canada leader Pierre Poilievre. Carney has also admitted he is an “elitist” and a “globalist.”