OTTAWA, ON: The Justice Centre for Constitutional Freedoms announces that it has delivered a national petition signed by 42,344 Canadians from every province and territory calling on Members of Parliament to defeat Bill C-22, the federal government’s proposed surveillance legislation. The petition delivery was recorded and can be viewed here.
Justice Centre Board member and constitutional historian Dr. John Robson formally presented the petition in Ottawa, warning that Bill C-22 would significantly expand state surveillance powers while undermining the privacy protections essential to a free society.
If passed into law, Bill C-22 would permit government and law enforcement agencies to compel electronic service providers to retain Canadians’ private data, develop systems for organizing and extracting user information for law enforcement review, and comply with secret orders related to the collection and disclosure of personal information.
“Privacy is not a luxury in a free society,” said Dr. Robson. “Privacy protects freedom of thought, freedom of expression, freedom of association, and the ability of ordinary Canadians to live without constant monitoring by the state.”
Opposition to Bill C-22 now extends far beyond civil liberties organizations. Technology companies, cybersecurity providers, business leaders, and lawmakers in the United States have all raised concerns about the legislation’s impact on privacy, encryption, cybersecurity, and public trust.
Signal has warned that it may withdraw from Canada rather than compromise its encryption protections. Windscribe has threatened to relocate its headquarters, while NordVPN has raised similar concerns. Apple and Meta have formally objected to the legislation, and Shopify CEO Tobi Lütke has publicly described Bill C-22 as “a huge mistake” that could damage Canada’s technology sector and international competitiveness.
Dr. Robson also thanked the thousands of Canadians who participated in the petition campaign through the Justice Centre. “By adding their names to this petition, Canadians entrusted us to carry their concerns directly to Ottawa and ensure that their voices are heard by the people elected to represent them.”
The Justice Centre is Canada’s leading civil liberties organization fighting for Charter rights and freedoms in the courts of law and in the court of public opinion. Founded in 2010, the Justice Centre funds lawyers across Canada, relies entirely on voluntary donations to carry out its mission, and issues official tax receipts to donors.
