The Lawful Access Act’s threats to  Canada’s national security

“The assumption by government officials that technology companies can find “safe ways” to weaken critical cybersecurity protections badly misreads the current threat landscape,” argues the Citizen Lab’s Kate Robertson in a new piece for The Globe & Mail.

She warns that, if passed, the controversial Bill C-22 (“Lawful Access Act”) would empower the government to require surveillance capabilities be built into any communications technology in Canada. Everything from smartphones, smartwatches, banking apps, health apps, video game platforms, and public WiFi or CCTV networks could be accessed by law enforcement under the new bill.

The Lawful Access Act has drawn heavy criticism from tech companies, cybersecurity experts, and international standards bodies for endangering Canadians’ cybersecurity and for violating constitutional standards.