Federal Privacy Commissioner Responds to Bill C-30

The Office of the Privacy Commissioner has posted an initial reaction to House of Commons Bill C-30. As previously reported, Bill C-30 would require telecommunications service providers to deploy surveillance technologies and would enhance the investigative powers of the police with respect to electronic communications. While acknowledging that modifications to earlier iterations to the proposed legislation had been made by the government, the Privacy Commissioner continues to express concern that the proposed legislation would grant a broad power to obtain subscriber information behind an internet protocol (IP) address without a warrant and without demonstrating reasonable grounds to suspect criminal activity or demonstrating the information is sought in respect of a criminal investigation.