National Post: Canadian government under international pressure to pass Online Spying Bill C-30

International governments are pushing for Canada to enact Online Spying Bill C-30 – an intrusive piece of legislation that would provide authorities with warrantless access to Internet users' private data. Law-abiding Canadians shouldn't have to compromise their online security and privacy. Speak out against this invasive and costly Internet surveillance plan at StopSpying.ca. If you've already signed onto our campaign, encourage others to do the same at OpenMedia.ca/SOSChallenge. Article by Jordan Press for Postmedia News The Harper government, under pressure at home over its controversial Internet surveillance bill, including a renewed push from law enforcement to pass the legislation, continues to come under international pressure to pass Bill C-30. The legislation, dubbed the “lawful access” bill, contains provisions that would allow Canada to ratify an 11-year-old convention on Internet crime, which its allies are antsy to see approved. Bill C-30 created a storm of outrage when it was tabled because it would allow authorities access to Internet subscriber information — including names, addresses, telephone numbers and email addresses — without a warrant in cases where companies refused to provide it voluntarily.

A confidential briefing note for Public Safety Minister Vic Toews, prepared ahead of a meeting with officials from the United Kingdom, notes that Canada has yet to ratify the Council of Europe Convention on Cybercrime, also known as the Budapest Convention, named after the city in which is was signed in 2001.

“Key allies, including the U.K. and the United States, view this as a key international agreement and are eager for Canada to complete its ratification process,” the undated briefing note says. “The recently tabled Bill C-30 contains measures, including provision for data preservation orders, which would enable Canada to ratify the Budapest Convention.”

Last month, officials from Public Safety Canada and Foreign Affairs were to attend a conference on cyberspace in Budapest, Toews was also supposed to go.

But his attendance, department officials wrote at the time, could cause Canada some problems.

“Notwithstanding the conference’s benefits, your attendance may raise questions as to Canada’s ratification of … the Budapest Convention,” the briefing note reads.

“Legislative amendments which would allow Canada to ratify are included in Bill C-30 … This communications challenge could be mitigated by working with the department’s communications group to develop appropriate responsive speaking points.”

Toews didn’t attend the conference.

A spokeswoman for the minister didn’t say what Canada’s allies were told at the meeting, nor when C-30 would return to the Commons for six hours of required debate before it can be sent to committee for review.

The government has committed to sending C-30 to committee before second reading, giving government and opposition MPs more power to propose changes to the legislation. Read more »

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