CCLA on the Federal Cybersecurity Bill: Cybersecurity Should Not Undermine Civil Liberties

Cybersecurity is an essential part of national security. The digital ecosystem in which we increasingly live our lives needs to be safe, reliable, and secure from threats.  

However, cybersecurity should not undermine civil liberties.  

The work accomplished by the Standing Committee on Public Safety and National Security on Bill C-26, An Act respecting cyber security, amending the Telecommunications Act and making consequential amendments to other Acts, did address some of the civil liberties concerns associated with this bill.  

Several issues still need to be tackled. In its submission filed on November 13, 2024, CCLA urged the Standing Senate Committee on National Security, Defence and Veterans Affairs currently considering Bill C-26 to address key outstanding concerns. 

These issues are detailed in a joint civil society submission endorsed by CCLA. Several civil society organizations and experts are calling on the Senate Committee to amend Bill C-26 to (1) prohibit the government from undermining encryption and communications security; (2) ensure that government orders cannot remain secret indefinitely; (3) address significant privacy shortcomings in the bill; and (4)  ensure that all government departments and agencies use information obtained under Bill C-26 exclusively for the cybersecurity and information assurance activities for which the information is collected. 

The recommended remedies address pressing concerns likely to undermine public trust while still enabling the legislation to fulfill its stated goals: bolstering cybersecurity across the financial, telecommunications, energy, and transportation sectors, and helping organizations better prepare, prevent, and respond to cyber incidents. 

CCLA’s submission and the joint civil society submission on Bill C-26 can be found here.