Canada's Senate is weighing a bill that expands government surveillance

Canada's Senate is now weighing Bill C-22, called the Lawful Access Act, which would greatly expand government surveillance powers. It has already passed the House of Commons. The Electronic Frontier Foundation, a digital rights group, says time is running short to oppose it. The Canadian Civil Liberties Association (CCLA) is urging Canadians to sign a petition against it.

What the bill would do

The bill would let the government force digital services, including phone companies and messaging apps, to help with surveillance. The Minister of Public Safety could order a company to build a backdoor, meaning a built-in way in for police, as long as it does not cause a "systemic insecurity." Critics say that could weaken encryption, the scrambling that keeps chats private.

Services would also have to keep metadata for up to a year. Metadata is not the content of your messages. It shows who you contact, where you go and which services you use. Critics note this would apply even to people not suspected of any crime.

What is not known yet

The material does not say when the Senate will vote or whether the bill will change. Some senators have raised concerns, including whether it fits Canada's constitution. CCLA and the research group Citizen Lab want Part 2, the surveillance and data retention section, withdrawn. The claims here come from groups opposing the bill, and the government's response is not included. The groups also warn the bill could widen data sharing with foreign police, including in the United States.