Surveillance: America's Pastime by Jared Rodriguez / t r u t h o u t; Adapted: naixn, Jason Smith / feastoffun.com) (CC BY-NC-SA 2.0)

Surveillance: America's Pastime by Jared Rodriguez / t r u t h o u t; Adapted: naixn, Jason Smith / feastoffun.com) (CC BY-NC-SA 2.0)

Surveillance

The Fifth Eye by Dustin Ginetz (CC BY-NC-SA 2.0) https://flic.kr/p/id9KHn

Canada’s New “Anti-Terrorism” Bill: Responding to the Courts, Not the Attacks

The government yesterday introduced Bill C-44, the Protection of Canada from Terrorists Act. While some were expecting significant new surveillance, decreased warrant thresholds, and detention measures, this bill is a response to several court decisions, not to the attacks last week in Ottawa and Quebec. A second bill – which might use the U.K. legislative response to terror attacks as a model – is a future possibility, but policy decisions, cabinet approval, legal drafting, and constitutional reviews take time.

Bill C-44, which was to have been tabled on the day of the Ottawa attack, responds to two key issues involving CSIS, Canada’s domestic intelligence agency.  The first involves a federal court case from late last year in which Justice Richard Mosley, a federal court judge, issued a stinging rebuke to Canada’s intelligence agencies (CSEC and CSIS) and the Justice Department, ruling that they misled the court when they applied for warrants to permit the interception of electronic communications. Mosley’s concern stemmed from warrants involving two individuals that were issued in 2009 permitting the interception of communications both in Canada and abroad using Canadian equipment. At the time, the Canadian intelligence agencies did not disclose that they might ask their foreign counterparts (namely the “five eyes” partners in the U.S., U.K., Australia, and New Zealand) to intercept the foreign communications.

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October 28, 2014 7 comments News
Nathan by Jamie McCaffrey (CC BY 2.0) https://flic.kr/p/pLRHqW

Responding to the Attacks: Why We Need to Resist Quick-Fix Anti-Terrorism Measures

Two shocking terror attacks on Canadian soil, one striking at the very heart of the Canadian parliament buildings and both leaving behind dead soldiers. Office buildings, shopping centres, and classrooms placed under lockdown for hours with many confronting violence first hand that is rarely associated with Canada.

Last week’s terror events will leave many searching for answers and seeking assurances from political and security leaders that they will take steps to prevent it from happening again. There will be an obvious temptation to look to the law to “fix” the issue, and if the past is a guide, stronger anti-terror legislation and warnings that Canadians may need to surrender more of their privacy and civil liberties in the name of greater security will soon follow.

My weekly technology law column (Toronto Star version, homepage version) notes that if there are legal solutions that would help foster better security, they should unquestionably be considered. Yet Canada should proceed with caution and recognize that past experience suggests that the unintended consequences that may arise from poorly analyzed legislation may do more harm than good.

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October 27, 2014 14 comments Columns
Who’s Watching Whom: An Examination of Canadian Privacy and Surveillance

Who’s Watching Whom: An Examination of Canadian Privacy and Surveillance

Earlier this week I was pleased to speak at the monthly Geek Girls Toronto event. Hosted at the Mozilla offices, a sold-out audience showed yet again that there is enormous public interest and concern with recent privacy and surveillance developments. A video of the talk, which focused on the problems associated with lawful access, privacy reform, and surveillance, is posted below.

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May 22, 2014 4 comments Keynote Speaking, News, Video

Bill C-13: Podcast on Cyber-Bullying and Internet Surveillance Legislation

I appeared on The Docket podcast with Leo Russomanno and Michael Spratt to discuss the Conservative governments new cyber-bullying / internet surveillance legislation – Bill C-13.

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May 2, 2014 Comments are Disabled ExtPodcasts

Who Owns Our Secrets: A Panel Discussion

I participated in a talk at the Toronto Public Library titled Who Owns our Secrets. The discussion was moderated by Brent Bambury of CBC Radio and participants included former CSIS Assistant Director Ray Boisvert, world-renowned surveillance scholar David Lyon and BC Civil Liberties Association Policy Director Micheal Vonn. We discussed the balance between security and privacy.

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April 3, 2014 Comments are Disabled Video