Liberals Propose Stronger Wiretapping Laws

12:04 am on October 12, 2005 | Category: Business, Editorials, Email, Law, Telecom Services, Telephone

Sources indicate that the government of Canada is pushing the telecommunications industry to integrate a higher level of wiretapping technology into their networks, allowing for round-the-clock surveillance of all telephone and (for the first time) email use of up to 8,000 people at once. Legislation on the matter is expected to be introduced sometime next month.

The Liberal government insists that their proposals will bring the country’s wiretapping laws up to speed with new technologies, to fight organized crime, drug trafficking, and terrorism more effectively.

Many libertarians and other freedom advocates, however, feel that the proposed legislation could infringe on the constitutional privacy rights granted to every citizen. Executive director, Darrel Evans, of the Freedom of Information and Privacy Association, believes that the government is likely to abuse these new powers once they have them.

Most telecom companies are also in opposition to this move, due to the fact that they will be expected to foot the bill.

If passed, this proposal could set a standard for more and more authoritarian information laws in Canada, and more government control over business and industry. Come the next election, Canadian voters will need to ask themselves whether they really want a government who has so little respect for the free market and the privacy of citizens.

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    3 Comments »

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    1. Hi, do you have any official website links to this story? LIke CBC or CTV?

      Thanks

      Comment by JimmyJones — November 15, 2005 #

    2. Here’s one from CTV…

      http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20051011/wiretapping_051011/20051011?hub=CTVNewsAt11

      Comment by Jeremy — November 16, 2005 #

    3. [...] Although this kind of long-term, investigative campaign is a lot fairer than the warrant-free abuse of government power previously proposed by Canada’s now ousted Liberal government, it is still very open to misuse. It will be essential to monitor this process extensively to ensure that the privacy rights of law-abiding citizens remain completely intact. [...]

      Pingback by UK Orders ISPs to Help Track Down Software Pirates » Telecommunications Industry News — February 1, 2006 #

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    Edited by Jeremy Maddock