Public Safety & Industry Ministers to testify on controversial Cybersecurity Bill C-26: Civil Liberties groups & experts available for comment

WHAT:

Public Safety Minister Dominic LeBlanc and Industry Minister François-Philippe Champagne are scheduled to testify before The House of Commons Standing Committee on Public Safety and National Security regarding Bill C-26: An Act respecting cyber security, amending the Telecommunications Act and making consequential amendments to other Acts.

WHEN:

The Ministers’ testimony will take place on Thursday, 15 February 2024, from 8.15am to 10.15am ET.

WHY:

Civil Liberties organisations & experts have raised serious concerns about Bill C-26, stating that it is “deeply problematic and must be fixed.” They warn that the legislation in its current form “risks undermining our privacy rights, and the principles of accountable governance and judicial due process which are the fabric of Canadian democracy.” 

In a Joint Brief to the House of Commons Public Safety Committee, they set out detailed recommendations designed to ensure Bill C-26 addresses Canada’s cybersecurity needs, while upholding rights and freedoms.

These reflect the findings of Dr. Christopher Parsons’ report Cybersecurity Will Not Thrive in Darkness, published by the Citizen Lab at the University of Toronto in October 2022. The groups propose addressing civil liberties concerns by:

• Restraining Ministerial Powers

• Protecting Confidential Personal & Business Information

• Maximizing Transparency

• Allowing Special Advocates to Protect the Public Interest

• Enhancing accountability for the Communications Security Establishment

In his Monday 12 February testimony, Privacy Commissioner Philippe Dufresne validated privacy and transparency concerns about Bill C-26, and made a number of recommendations including stricter limits on the use of information collection powers, and a requirement that “any collection, use, or disclosure of personal information be both necessary and proportionate.” 

WHO:

The Joint Brief is endorsed by: the Canadian Civil Liberties Association, the Canadian Constitution Foundation, the International Civil Liberties Monitoring Group, Ligue des Droits et Libertés, the National Council of Canadian Muslims, OpenMedia, the Privacy and Access Council of Canada, Professor Andrew Clement, and Dr Brenda McPhail.

REFERENCES:

• Full text of Bill C-26

• Details of House of Commons Committee Study

• Open Letter to former Public Safety Minister Marco Mendicino (aussi disponible en français)

• Joint Brief to House of Commons Committee (aussi disponible en français)

• Cybersecurity Will Not Thrive in Darkness: A Critical Analysis of Proposed Amendments in Bill C-26 to the Telecommunications Act — Dr Christopher Parsons, Citizen Lab, Munk School, University of Toronto

• Charter analysis concerning cybersecurity and telecommunications reform in Bill C-26 — Kate Robertson and Lina Li, Citizen Lab, Munk School, University of Toronto

• Committee Testimony by Privacy Commissioner Philippe Dufresne

CONTACT:

To arrange an interview with one of the organisations or experts who endorsed the C-26 Open Letter, please contact:

Matt Hatfield,

Executive Director, OpenMedia

[email protected] 

1 (888) 441-2640 ext. 0