At a press conference Monday in Montreal, Canada’s public safety minister, Gary Anandasangaree, said the government is updating its laws to give law enforcement and CSIS new tools to fight serious crime.
“Canada is far behind our most important allies. Our laws are stuck in another century while technology has moved forward,” said Anandasangaree.
Bill C22, introduced last week, creates a modern legal framework for lawful access to digital information, aimed at disrupting organized crime, human trafficking, online sexual exploitation, fraud, and money laundering.
“C22 creates the legal framework for a modernized lawful access regime in Canada. Something that law enforcement and our security services have been asking for for decades,” said Anandasangaree.
Anandasangaree says the legislation balances investigators’ needs with Canadians’ privacy rights and ensures authorities can access only the information necessary to investigate crimes, not to surveil ordinary citizens.
Under the bill, law enforcement can quickly identify service providers linked to phone numbers or IP addresses and, with court approval, obtain basic information when there is reasonable suspicion a crime has occurred or is about to occur.
“I want to be clear about what C22 is not. It is not about the surveillance of honest, hardworking Canadians going about their daily lives. It is about keeping Canadians safe in the online space,” said Anandasangaree.
Officials say the reforms will reduce delays in investigations and bring Canada’s laws in line with modern technology and international standards, tackling crimes that often cross borders and exploit digital tools.
