Bill C-2, the Strong Borders Act, is a government omnibus bill that imposes severe limitations on access to refugee claims while expanding surveillance and information-sharing mechanisms. The Bill has been presented as a response to trade pressures and thoroughly discredited claims of border crime from the United States.
The Bill is wide-ranging, it introduces one new law and amends 16 others covering immigration, mail deliver, controlled substances, money laundering, criminal conduct and more.
CCLA is releasing a series of explainers highlighting some of the privacy implications of the legislative proposal.
In light of the border control backdrop for Bill C-2, one explainer highlights different ways that its powers raise heightened privacy concerns for migrants and refugees. These include an authorization to share sensitive immigration information, including refugee status and changes to gender identity, with any government entity including political staff, social service providers, housing authorities and police. Broad sharing of this information can put migrants and their family at serious risk of harm.
Another explainer outlines general concerns arising from some of Bill C-2’s surveillance and information-sharing provisions. These concerns include a power for police to demand certain sensitive customer information from any service provider, with minimal justification and without judicial approval. Under Bill C-2, the government could also order digital servicer providers to redesign their services to facilitate surveillance, threatening privacy and cybersecurity.
A final explainer details the ways in which Bill C-2 might broaden information-sharing with the United States and places this broadened information-sharing can have severe implications for people in Canada. Excessive information-sharing with the United States has led to Canadians facing travel restrictions, increased the likelihood of being turned back (or detained) at the U.S. border, and contributed to the rendition and torture of Maher Arar, Abdullah Almalki, and others.
Read more:
- Bill C-2 Explainer: Surveillance powers and capabilities
- Bill C-2 Explainer: Heightened surveillance & its impact on migrants and refugees
- Bill C-2 Explainer: Information-sharing between Canada & the US
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