Posts Tagged “Government of Canada”

Canada adds more internet monitoring

Kenneth Hynek • 17th Jul 2009 • Politics, Canadian Politics, Society, Censorship, Society, Freespeechery • 1984, Canada, CHRC, George Orwell, Government of Canada, human rights commission, Internet, Investigative Powers for the 21st Century Act, IP21C, Kathy Shaidle, Michael Geist, University of Ottawa

Kathy Shaidle is correct, of course: the Government of Canada already monitors Internet users through the CHRC, just as the various provincial governments police the Internet and the thoughts of their citizens by means of the provincial human rights commissions.

Which isn’t to say, of course, that the government isn’t above expanding. Government is never above expanding:

In the spring, the Government of Canada introduced two pieces of legislation that would greatly expand the power of the state to monitor its citizens online activity. The legislation, known as the Investigative Powers for the 21st Century (IP21C) Act, would force Internet Service Providers (ISPs) to install costly surveillance systems on their networks and give police wide ranging new powers that do away with judicial oversight.

Because that’s just what Canada needs: more oversight-free monitoring and policing of the free expression of opinion in the digital realm! And that’s really the sort of power we need to put in the hands of our police forces, too!

Yeah. And I’m Lutheran.

According to University of Ottawa law professor Michael Geist, the legislation would create additional requirements for ISPs and expand police powers. These ISP requirements can be broken down into two components. First, ISPs will be required to install costly surveillance equipment on their networks. Part of the cost will fall to taxpayers while the remainder will be carried by the companies themselves. Some smaller ISPs will be exempt from this requirement for a period of three years, creating an unfair burden on the larger, more successful companies. Second, the legislation would require that all ISPs give personal information to the government, including the names of their customers, as well as their IP, e-mail, and mailing addresses — on demand and without any judicial oversight.

In a way, it’s probably a good thing that George Orwell didn’t live to see the day. 1984 was in many respects a prophetic masterwork, and yet in some respects it simply didn’t go far enough.