As law enforcement officials continue to lobby for the return of warrantless Online Spying Bill C-30, Ontario's Information and Privacy Commissioner is speaking out in defending Canadians' right to privacy online. We need to have our right to privacy protected – not compromised. Join us in speaking out against invasive Online Spying Bill C-30 at StopSpying.ca. Commentary by Ann Cavoukian, Information and Privacy Commissioner of Ontario As Ontario’s Information and Privacy Commissioner, I have a deep respect for law enforcement. I frequently work closely with the police to help them succeed in fulfilling their important functions without sacrificing our vital right to privacy. The guidance I have provided over the years on the privacy implications of new technologies has given the police a roadmap on how to be effective, yet also protect our privacy. That is why I am perplexed by the ongoing disagreement between law enforcement and Canada’s privacy commissioners over the federal government’s highly intrusive surveillance legislation, Bill C-30. Repeatedly, privacy commissioners have identified a pragmatic and principled approach to fixing the flawed aspects of the Bill. Time and again, members of the law enforcement community have insisted they need overly broad powers, while failing to recognize that they can have both new and effective law enforcement powers, while still protecting the privacy of individual Canadians.

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.

Last week, the Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police had called on the government to revive the invasive Online Spying Bill C-30 – legislation that would grant them warrantless access into the private data of citizens. Now, three of Canada's Information and Privacy Commissioners have spoken out in defence of Canadians' right to privacy online – stating that should law enforcement need additional powers, "they must come with appropriate judicial oversight and accountability". Call on your MP to stand against the warrantless Online Spying Bill C-30. Read more on this response by the provincial Information and Privacy Commissioners at The Windsor Star.

After last week's push to revive invasive Online Spying Bill C-30, police are now refusing to comment on whether they have accessed Canadians' cell phone data without a warrant. Call on your MP to speak out against this intrusive expansion of surveillance powers at OpenMedia.ca/Stand. Article by Andrew MacLeod for The Tyee Police in three major Canadian departments have declined to confirm whether they have the technology to identify people in a crowd based on the unique identifiers on their cellphones. "It reflects a massive invasion of privacy," said David Eby, the executive director of the B.C. Civil Liberties Association, speaking about the technology which can be used to capture the International Mobile Subscriber Identity or International Mobile Equipment Identity on cellphones and other devices. Eby said the BCCLA became interested in whether the technology was being used here after reading about it in a British newspaper article.

The Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police has called on the government to revive the invasive Online Spying Bill C-30, granting warrantless access to the private data of citizens. Law-abiding Canadians shouldn't have to compromise their online security and privacy. If our police chiefs and government want to target criminals, they need to start over in crafting legislation for that purpose. Speak out against the intrusive Online Spying Bill C-30 at StopSpying.ca and read more about this push by police chiefs to resurrect Bill C-30 at MichaelGeist.ca. Take local action against online spying through our SOS Challenge by encouraging friends and family to join the campaign!

A recent article has suggested that with the prolonged Parliamentary absence of Online Spying Bill C-30 – the warrantless legislation that would compromise Canadian Internet security – it could in fact be gone for good. We're staying vigilant and pushing our government for a definitive promise to all Canadians that these costly and invasive measures won't resurface. Tell your MP to stand with us and speak out against Bill C-30 at StopSpying.ca. Read more on this news article at The Globe & Mail.

The federal privacy commissioner is speaking out against websites collecting personal information and data, but a larger threat to Canadian Internet privacy still exists in the form of the Online Spying Bill C-30. Learn how this warrantless legislation could invade your Internet use at StopSpying.ca and read more about this story at CBC.ca.