Bill C-30 Update

Obituary: The Conservative government abandons Internet surveillance bill (Bill C-30)

Almost a year after the bill's introduction on Valentine's Day in 2012 by Canada's public safety minister, Vic Toews, the Conservative government abandoned its attempt to modernize the Criminal Code through Bill C-30. The purpose of the proposed legislation was to provide law enforcement with a facilitated mechanism to track the digital activities of suspects. However, over its twelve month existence, the bill garnered more than its fair share of public criticism.

Even the title of the legislation was scrutinized. The official title was An Act to enact the Investigating and Preventing Criminal Electronic Communications Act and to amend the Criminal Code and other Acts – quite a mouthful. The bill was originally tabled as the Lawful Access Act but was supposedly withdrawn an hour later and resubmitted with a new short title, The Protecting Children from Internet Predators Act.