Canada Unveils New Cyber Monitoring Rules
Canada’s government Tuesday introduced a bill to give law enforcement authorities sweeping powers to probe online communications that has a number of people upset. The legislation would require telecommunications service providers to set up systems that allow police or Canada’s spy service to intercept communications as part of their investigations. They would also be required to provide subscriber information to authorities and other data that would allow police to track suspects using a cell phone or a computer.
Privacy Commissioner Jennifer Stoddart, whose office is independent from the government, said in a letter to Public Safety Minister Vic Toews last October she had “deep concerns” about the proposed changes, which she said could have “serious repercussions for privacy rights.”
“by expanding the legal tools of the state to conduct surveillance and access private information, and by reducing the depth of judicial scrutiny… (the bill would allow the) government to subject more individuals to surveillance and scrutiny.”
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