MPs get an earful from opponents of ‘lawful access’ bill over privacy concerns

OTTAWA — A group that works to keep the internet surveillance-free says a federal bill intended to help police and intelligence services is “an enormous own goal” against Canada’s economy and security.

Matt Hatfield, executive director of OpenMedia, told MPs studying the bill Tuesday that limited amendments will not salvage the proposed legislation.

The government says the bill will ensure law enforcement agencies have the legal tools to prevent, investigate and respond to modern crime and protect Canadians in a manner consistent with the Charter of Rights and Freedoms.

Opponents argue the legislation, known as Bill C-22, unnecessarily expands the powers of police and intelligence agencies, endangers the privacy of Canadians, flouts the Charter and makes Canada a less attractive place to do business.

The bill would require electronic service providers to develop and maintain the technical capabilities necessary to enable police and the Canadian Security Intelligence Service to effectively obtain communications and information for investigations.

The government says this measure is needed because a provider might lack the secure infrastructure to transfer information to these agencies in a useable format, or they might not be able to pull up the information quickly or ensure its accuracy.

There would be mandatory requirements for certain core providers — likely large telecommunications companies and satellite providers — to have specific capabilities.

The bill would also allow for regulations requiring service providers to retain metadata — digital traces of a communication, but not the email or text itself — for up to one year.

Hatfield told the House of Commons public safety committee that democracies do not keep a filing cabinet of every citizen’s sensitive information in case it’s useful to spies or police.

He also said the legislation could require telecommunication companies, online services and hardware manufacturers to let the government install surveillance equipment on their platforms.

Hatfield urged the MPs to take the time to review all public evidence and “thoroughly reform or abandon” these elements of the bill before it moves forward.

Big tech companies Apple and Meta have said the legislation threatens to compromise their encryption services, while encrypted messaging service Signal and virtual private network service NordVPN have warned they could pull out of Canada if the bill requires them to compromise privacy.

Udbhav Tiwari, Signal’s vice-president for strategy and global affairs, told the committee Tuesday the bill would convert the everyday tools Canadians rely on into a sprawling, insecure surveillance apparatus.

“If we are ever forced to choose between betraying the people who rely on us and leaving a market, we will leave,” he said.

“Signal collects almost no data about our users by design. It is this property that leads us to enjoy the reputation we do, including among Canadians. Bill C-22 could force us to rewrite our code, dismantle our robust privacy architectures and design surveillance into our systems.”

Public Safety Minister Gary Anandasangaree said recently the bill was never meant to breach encryption and that forthcoming amendments would make this clear.

Tim McSorley, representing the Centre for Free Expression, said the bill poses “a serious and unacceptable risk,” calling it the latest in a long string of proposals to undermine Canadians’ right to privacy in the name of fighting crime and protecting national security,

This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 2, 2026.

— With files from Anja Karadeglija

Jim Bronskill, The Canadian Press