Bill C-8 would give the federal government power to deny internet products and services to any person it deems an online threat.
Published Oct 07, 2025 • Last updated 9 hours ago • 1 minute read
Canada’s privacy commissioner said he has not been asked for advice regarding proposed legislation that would allow the government to cancel internet accounts.
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“We are not consulted on specific pieces of legislation before they are tabled, Privacy Commissioner Philippe Dufresne testified Monday at the Commons ethics committee, according to Blacklock’s Reporter.
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“I don’t want privacy to be an obstacle to transparency,” he said.
Concerns have been raised about Bill C-8 An Act Respecting Cybersecurity, which would give the federal government power to deny internet products and services to any person it deems a cybersecurity threat.
Conservative MP Michael Barrett criticized the bill as giving the government “secret, warrantless powers over Canadians’ communications,” he said.
“This is a serious setback for privacy. It’s also a serious setback for democracy.”
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Barrett asked the commissioner if parliament is simply giving “sweeping powers of surveillance to the government without a formal review” and with no concerns about its impact on Canadians’ privacy.
“It’s not a legal obligation under the Privacy Act,” Dufresne responded.
Barrett also asked if the powers in the bill that allow the government to disable a customer’s telecommunications access would be “inconsistent with the principles of the Privacy Act.”
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“We need to make sure by protecting national security we are not doing so at the expense of privacy,” replied Dufresne.
In the last parliament, time ran out on Bill C-26 An Act Respecting Cybersecurity, a similar proposal which critics also voiced privacy concerns.
“We need to put into the legislation criteria on necessity and proportionality, making sure the exercise of those powers is going to be tested from a privacy perspective,” Dufresne said.
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