Opposition MPs slam feds’ ‘absolutely mind-boggling’ Lawful Access Act: ‘go back to the drawing board’

Critics warn Bill C-22 risks weakening cybersecurity as telecommunications firms and other service providers could be legally obligated to store Canadian users' metadata for up to a year. But the public safety minister says some tech firms are 'misinterpreting' the bill, and that 'safeguards' are written in.

Public Safety Minister Gary Anandasangaree, centre, in the West Block on March 11, 2026. The federal government has argued that all other Five Eyes countries have lawful access regimes, including the United States, and that Bill C-22 is about getting Canada on par with them. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

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BY ELEANOR WAND

May 22, 2026

As opposition to the federal government's Lawful Access Act ramps up, Conservative and NDP MPs say the bill needs major reworking—or be scrapped altogether—to address “unbelievable” security and privacy concerns.

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