The Macdonald-Laurier Institute has issued a clear warning about Bill C-22, the federal government’s lawful access legislation. While the bill aims to modernize how police and security agencies obtain information from tech companies, it leaves dangerous openings that could force companies to weaken or create backdoors in end-to-end encryption. This is a serious mistake that must be fixed before the bill passes.
Lawful access reform is needed. Canadian authorities lag behind many of our Five Eyes and G7 allies in their ability to efficiently access data they are already legally entitled to. Stronger tools would help combat serious crime, particularly transnational organized crime. However, this cannot come at the expense of fundamental privacy protections or Canada’s economic interests. Major companies like Apple, Meta, Signal, and NordVPN have already raised red flags, warning that the bill could force them to compromise user security or even exit the Canadian market.
True North strongly supports keeping strong encryption intact. Weakening encryption doesn’t just threaten individual privacy, it creates vulnerabilities that hostile foreign states and cybercriminals can exploit. Recent incidents like the Salt Typhoon telecom hacks in the United States show how surveillance infrastructure quickly becomes a target. Canada should not be building systems that make us less secure.
Parliament needs to close these loopholes explicitly in the legislation itself. No regulations, ministerial orders, or compliance penalties should be allowed to undermine end-to-end encryption. Strong privacy protections and effective law enforcement are not mutually exclusive. Canada can, and must, have both.
We will continue watching Bill C-22 closely. Canadians deserve security from crime without sacrificing the digital privacy that has become essential in the modern world.
