Stop "Lawful Access" in Canada

October 27, 2005

The Canadian government's proposed legislation to tap public communication is totally unnecessary. The idea is to make communication companies install wiretaps to allow the government to eavesdrop on phone and internet conversations. This bill was named "Lawful Access", and must be stopped.

Prime Minister Paul Martin has stated that the plan is to keep tabs on known or just-released criminals, but if the access is at that high of a level (arguably the highest in Canada) the way that the information is actually used and what is done with it would not be known to the public, or anyone else except who is doing it, especially if this is across the entire country.

The proposed anti-terror legislation is contrary to our civil rights. Regardless of the fact if you had something to hide or not, would you want even your next door neighbour, or a close friend or family member possibly listening in on every phone call you make and reading every e-mail or instant message you send or reveive? Probably not.

I personally do not want some anonymous "Big Brother" figure perusing over my personal and private correspondances, but if PM Paul Martin and Deputy Prime Minister Anne McLellan get their way it will become reality.

The main point is not to actually monitor the population, but make them understand that they COULD be monitored. This was employed famously in Germany during World War II. Remember the Gestapo? This is exactly the same type of tactic Hitler used to keep his citizens in line. Why was it wrong when Hitler did this to Germany, but in Canada of all places it's deemed acceptable? Is this what our Veterans died for?

More information:
http://www.cippic.ca/en/projects-cases/lawful-access/
http://www.fis.utoronto.ca/research/inforights/LawfulAccessPanel.htm
http://www.itworldcanada.com/a/Information-Architecture/93d97e09-a082-4ebd-bbf5-af872b155ce3.html
http://www.cbc.ca/bc/story/bc_taps20040823.html