C22
**Bill C-22** (the **Lawful Access Act, 2026**) is a Canadian federal government bill introduced on March 12, 2026, by Public Safety Minister Gary Anandasangaree. It aims to modernize how law enforcement and intelligence agencies (like police and CSIS) access digital data for investigations.
It’s currently at the committee stage in the House of Commons (as of mid-May 2026).
### What the bill does (in two main parts):
**Part 1** — Focuses on **timely access to information**. It updates the Criminal Code and other laws to make it easier for police/CSIS to get subscriber info, data, and other records (with court authorization in many cases). It includes clarifications for public/open data and aims to help investigate online crimes like extortion, child exploitation, and organized crime without creating entirely new surveillance powers.
**Part 2** — The more controversial section. It creates the **Supporting Authorized Access to Information Act (SAAIA)**. This would require “electronic service providers” (telecoms, internet providers, messaging apps, social media, etc.) to:
- Build and maintain technical capabilities so they can hand over data when served with a valid warrant.
- Retain certain metadata (e.g., who you communicate with, location data) for up to one year for “core providers.”
- Potentially enable quicker access to communications.
The government says this doesn’t create new interception powers — it just ensures companies can comply efficiently with existing legal requests. It includes safeguards like judicial oversight and a parliamentary review after a few years.
### Major criticisms and concerns:
- **Privacy & surveillance**: Critics (including Michael Geist, EFF, tech companies like Apple, Signal, and NordVPN) argue it forces companies to build surveillance infrastructure, weakens encryption (“backdoors”), and creates massive data retention that could be hacked or misused.
- Tech firms have warned it could lead them to leave or limit services in Canada.
- It’s seen by some as a repackaged version of earlier failed attempts (like parts of Bill C-2).
- Potential impacts on end-to-end encrypted apps and everyday devices.
**Note**: There was an earlier Bill C-22 in a previous Parliament (44th) that became the **Canada Disability Benefit Act** (passed in 2023). The current one (45th Parliament) is the lawful access bill.
It’s a hotly debated topic right now, balancing public safety against digital privacy. If you want the official bill text, specific sections, or opinions from both sides, let me know!**Bill C-22** (the **Lawful Access Act, 2026**) is a Canadian federal government bill introduced on March 12, 2026, by Public Safety Minister Gary Anandasangaree. It aims to modernize how law enforcement and intelligence agencies (like police and CSIS) access digital data for investigations.
It’s currently at the committee stage in the House of Commons (as of mid-May 2026).
### What the bill does (in two main parts):
**Part 1** — Focuses on **timely access to information**. It updates the Criminal Code and other laws to make it easier for police/CSIS to get subscriber info, data, and other records (with court authorization in many cases). It includes clarifications for public/open data and aims to help investigate online crimes like extortion, child exploitation, and organized crime without creating entirely new surveillance powers.
**Part 2** — The more controversial section. It creates the **Supporting Authorized Access to Information Act (SAAIA)**. This would require “electronic service providers” (telecoms, internet providers, messaging apps, social media, etc.) to:
- Build and maintain technical capabilities so they can hand over data when served with a valid warrant.
- Retain certain metadata (e.g., who you communicate with, location data) for up to one year for “core providers.”
- Potentially enable quicker access to communications.
The government says this doesn’t create new interception powers — it just ensures companies can comply efficiently with existing legal requests. It includes safeguards like judicial oversight and a parliamentary review after a few years.
### Major criticisms and concerns:
- **Privacy & surveillance**: Critics (including Michael Geist, EFF, tech companies like Apple, Signal, and NordVPN) argue it forces companies to build surveillance infrastructure, weakens encryption (“backdoors”), and creates massive data retention that could be hacked or misused.
- Tech firms have warned it could lead them to leave or limit services in Canada.
- It’s seen by some as a repackaged version of earlier failed attempts (like parts of Bill C-2).
- Potential impacts on end-to-end encrypted apps and everyday devices.
**Note**: There was an earlier Bill C-22 in a previous Parliament (44th) that became the **Canada Disability Benefit Act** (passed in 2023). The current one (45th Parliament) is the lawful access bill.
It’s a hotly debated topic right now, balancing public safety against digital privacy. If you want the official bill text, specific sections, or opinions from both sides, let me know!