2 Comments

1. Ryan Briggs says:

   June 30, 2009 at 11:59 pm

   The internet is like a big phone, right?
   It seems to me that no one has really nailed the Conservatives on their position—stated in the interview—that legislating the internet like the phone system is a good idea. I took a stab at showing the problems with that way of thinking: http://ryancbriggs.net/post/133210284/the-internet-is-like-a-big-phone-right
2. Anon-K says:

   July 3, 2009 at 12:35 pm

   Nope, not a phone system
   but rather a communications system. Note that, if memory serves, the police also have authority to intercept and open snail mail with a warrant; this bill extends to cover these.

   I’ve no particular issue with the concept of warranted access. I am not, however, enamored of the warrantless access provisions of the bill. I see no particular need for warrantless access to any information from a provider; the police have demonstrated that they can, and will abuse this power (emergency phone wiretap orders), see http://www.cbc.ca/canada/story/2009/06/26/police-emergency-wiretaps.html?ref=rss. According to one para at the end, the OPP started to prepare for a warrant, then decided to use the emergency order instead. No reason given, but I can imagine that it was one of:

   1) We’ll never get the warrant based on what we have;
   2) We didn’t finish it in time; or
   3) Too much trouble.

   Personally I’d suspect the first option.