by
Republican Reps. Jim Jordan and Brian Mast said that Bill C-22 would ‘drastically expand Canada’s surveillance and data-access powers,’ threatening Americans’ security and data privacy.
(LifeSiteNews) — Two American congressional committees have issued a warning that a Canadian Liberal government bill that would give extra powers to police to monitor and search Canadians’ online digital activity without a warrant is a threat to U.S. national security and could weaken North America’s defenses against hackers.
The chairmen of the judiciary and foreign affairs committees, Republicans Jim Jordan and Brian Mast, made the warning in a letter last week addressed to Canada’s Public Safety Minister Gary Anandasangaree.
The chairmen said Canada’s Bill C-22, “An Act respecting lawful access,” could “fracture cybersecurity norms” and could also “drastically expand Canada’s surveillance and data-access powers in ways that create significant cross-border risks to the security and data privacy of Americans.”
The letter also noted that Bill C-22 that could “erode the mutual benefits of strong encryption standards.”
As reported by LifeSiteNews, Bill C-22 was introduced recently by Anandasangaree, 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.
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 bill mandates that telecom and internet companies make it so that their systems allow for surveillance and monitoring capabilities, which could be shared with police and intelligence.
Even tech giants Apple and Meta have warned about Bill C-22, noting it could affect cybersecurity in North America.
The congressmen noted in their letter that U.S. companies doing business in Canada would have to choose between “compromising the security of their entire user base – including U.S. citizens – or risking exclusion from the Canadian market.”
“Either outcome harms U.S. national security and economic interests by undermining trust in American technology and inviting reciprocal demands from other nations,” notes the letter.