Canada’s top cops announced Monday in Vancouver that they are backing the federal government’s controversial Internet-surveillance bill introduced in the House of Commons earlier this month.
Speaking at the VPD detachment on Cambie Street, officers, representing both the Vancouver and Canadian police, defended and endorsed Bill C-30, which has come under fire among Canadians and groups, saying it invades people’s privacy.
The proposed legislation would allow Internet service providers to turn over basic customer information such as name, phone number, address, email address, IP address and the name of the service provider to police without a warrant.
VPD Deputy Chief Warren Lemcke, who also spoke on behalf of the Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police, blamed “misinformation” about the bill for instilling fear and confusion among the public.
“This bill does not allow police to monitor phone calls, email or Internet surfing at will without a warrant,” he said. “There is no doubt those who are against the legislation may want you to believe that it does.”
He added the bill would allow police to quickly respond to serious crimes such as kidnapping, identity theft, child exploitation and organized crime.
Lemcke said this allows police to keep up with the technology criminals use, noting that organized- crime groups shop around for ISPs that don’t have the infrastructure to provide the information when requested.
Micheal Vonn, policy director of the B.C. Civil Liberties Association, said the proposed infrastructure could be exploited by hackers and the complexity of the bill has the police, the public and even Public Safety Minister Vic Toews in a state of confusion.
Local news from metronews.ca/vancouver
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