The government’s inclusion of warrantless information demand powers in Bill C‑2 has attracted mounting concern, particularly the stunning decision to target everyone who provides services in Canada — which creates near-limitless targets for warrantless disclosure demands.
Department of Justice officials have confirmed that Bill C‑2 extends far beyond just telecom companies to services such as financial institutions, car rental companies, and hotels. The inclusion of professional services that frequently face strict confidentiality obligations deserves greater scrutiny, as the approach virtually guarantees a constitutional challenge — alongside the privacy challenge — in light of Supreme Court of Canada rulings in Spencer and Bykovets.
