Minister open to changing bill that would give police easier access to personal data

OTTAWA — Public Safety Minister Gary Anandasangaree says he is open to amending proposed border security legislation that would make it easier for police to obtain access to information about Canadians.

Anandasangaree told a House of Commons committee Thursday he hopes that with the “right type of amendments,” the legislation — which has drawn fire from civil rights voices — will receive parliamentary approval.

The Liberal government split its border security bill in two this week in the hope of passing some measures soon while giving Canadians more time to evaluate other, more controversial ones.

Bill C-12, introduced Wednesday, includes several measures from a June bill that would expand the Coast Guard’s role, tighten the immigration and refugee system, enhance information sharing on sex offenders and introduce stronger controls on chemicals used to make illicit drugs.

The government is still pursuing passage of contentious elements of the first bill, C-2, that would give authorities new powers to access personal information and search mail — measures that have drawn intense opposition from civil society groups.

Civil liberties advocates say the legislation would allow police and the Canadian Security Intelligence Service to demand to know whether a person has an online account with any organization or service in Canada.

They also warn the bill would permit authorities with a warrant to demand production of an individual’s online data, unencrypted emails and browsing history from a company based solely on “reasonable suspicion” — not the current standard of reasonable belief.

After the committee meeting Thursday, Anandasangaree said the government doesn’t want people to feel it is overreaching and violating their rights.

“I’m willing to do the work with law enforcement, with civil society folks, to build consensus,” he told reporters.

Anandasangaree suggested there’s a need to make it simpler for police to link a phone number of interest to a service provider without the hurdle of obtaining a judicial warrant.

But the minister also said he’s “very sympathetic” to concerns that police might, for example, use the provision to associate an individual with a specific medical service provider.

“I think that’s where we may need to tighten the language to build consensus,” Anandasangaree said.

Authorities seeking information must do so “under very reasonable circumstances” with a “proper legal test and safeguards in place,” he added.

RCMP Commissioner Mike Duheme, who appeared at committee alongside Anandasangaree, said he and the minister would work with other police forces to “do everything we can” to ensure the measures on law enforcement access to information go forward.

“The minister and I had a good conversation, and our intention is to keep on pushing with regards to lawful access,” Duheme said.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 8, 2025.

Jim Bronskill, The Canadian Press