The first bill introduced by Prime Minister Mark Carney’s government outlines broad-based changes to Canada’s security and immigration systems, with the stated goal of addressing issues raised by U.S. President Donald Trump.
Tabled in the House of Commons on Tuesday morning, the omnibus bill proposes amendments to 14 different laws and introduces the Supporting Authorized Access to Information Act, which would require electronic service providers to comply with requests from law enforcement agencies.
Among the notable changes, Bill C-2 would allow the RCMP to share more information on registered sex offenders with international partners, like the U.S., and strengthen various anti-money laundering provisions. It would also change how the Canadian government deals with asylum seekers by requiring people to submit a claim within a year of arriving in Canada to be eligible for asylum (or within two weeks if they came from the U.S.).
The bill would also grant expanded powers to both the Canadian Coast Guard, which would become responsible for more security-related activities, particularly in the Arctic, as well as Canada Post, which would receive increased authorities to open mail for the purpose of police searches.
Additionally, the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) would be able to obtain certain information without a warrant in specific circumstances.
Currently, CSIS can request information from third-parties as long as they receive judicial authorization, but, under the proposed amendments, the intelligence agency would be able to command basic information from electronic service providers without a warrant, including if and when they have provided service to a particular person or the province in which they provided the service.
In a technical briefing for reporters, government officials said an electronic service provider captures any entity that conducts electronic communication, ranging from social media platforms to hydro utilities.
Public Safety Minister Gary Anandasangaree said the changes will help ensure the safety and security of Canadians from organized crime groups that use increasingly modern technologies.
“In recent years, transnational criminal organizations have become more sophisticated,” he said during a press conference on Parliament Hill. “They’re using new technologies and more complex ways to move money that make it difficult for law enforcement to investigate their illegal activities [and] it is the same for those who engage in other serious crimes, such as human smuggling, trafficking of fentanyl, precursor chemicals and other narcotics, and the smuggling of illegal firearms into our communities.”
“We need to ensure that Canada’s law enforcement is equipped with the tools they need to stay ahead of organized crime groups and crack down on their illicit activities.”
Fentanyl trafficking, in particular, has become a heightened political concern for the new Liberal administration, as the White House used thh alleged drug smuggling over the Canada-U.S. border as a justification to impose new tariffs earlier this year.
Various reports have suggested only a negligible amount of fentanyl enters the U.S. through the Canada, compared to other sources.
Anandasangaree emphasized the new bill is about “delivering a win for Canadians,” but acknowledged that it also responds to certain American priorities.
“There are elements that will strengthen [our] relationships with the United States,” he told reporters. “There were a number of elements in the bill that have been irritants for the U.S., so we are addressing some of those issues.”
“But it’s not exclusively about the United States, it’s also about ensuring the integrity of our immigration system is strengthened.”
Anandasangaree mentioned he would be meeting with Tom Homan, Trump’s border czar, later on Tuesday when he will share elements of the legislation. Government officials also said there are plans to brief U.S. officials at a public service level.
Bill C-2 is the first piece of government legislation introduced in Parliament since this spring’s federal election, other than the pro forma Bill C-1 used to open the new session.
It is unclear whether the bill will be able to progress through Parliament before the summer break, as there’s less than three weeks remaining in the sitting calendar. With only a minority government, the Liberals would need the support of at least one opposition party for the bill to become law.
NDP MP Jenny Kwan, the party’s critic for immigration and public safety, said the bill “should be alarming to many Canadians.”
“What we’re looking at is the government giving authority, broad-sweeping authority within government to cancel applications, to withdraw applications, to suspend applications, even those that are already in the inventory that is under process,” Kwan said of the proposed changes to the immigration system. “The other thing that the bill would enable is for people’s private information to be shared, and much of this authority is not prescribed in the legislation, but rather it will come out later on by regulation. So, that is to say we actually don’t even know how it is going to work.”
“I am very concerned that people’s privacies would be breeched. I’m very concerned that those who have submitted claims in the immigration system will, all of a sudden, find their application being withdrawn. And so, these are some of the measures that the government is bringing forward with this bill.”
The Conservatives did not respond to iPolitics‘ questions regarding whether they would support the proposed legislation.
*This story has been updated to include comments from NDP MP Jenny Kwan.
