Canada's version of SOPA - Act to enact the Investigating and Preventing Criminal...

Critics of a bill that would give law enforcement new powers to access Canadians' electronic communications are aligning themselves with child pornographers, Canada's public safety minister says.

"He can either stand with us or with the child pornographers," Vic Toews said of Liberal public safety critic Francis Scarpaleggia during question period on Monday, after Scarpaleggia asked about a bill expected to be tabled Tuesday.

'He can either stand with us or with the child pornographers.'—Vic Toews, Minister of Public Safety

The "Act to enact the Investigating and Preventing Criminal Electronic Communications Act and to amend the Criminal Code and other acts" appeared Monday on the parliamentary website that lists bills scheduled to be introduced.

Public Safety Minister Vic Toews said the lawful access bills will 'bring our laws into the 21st century and provide police with the lawful tools we need.' (Canadian Press)The bill is expected to contain provisions from previous similar bills that have raised the concerns of privacy watchdogs and consumer advocates. Those "lawful access" provisions would:
Require internet service providers to give subscriber data to police and national security agencies without a warrant, including names, unlisted phone numbers and IP addresses.
Force internet providers and other makers of technology to provide a "back door" to make communications accessible to police.
Allow police to get warrants to obtain information transmitted over the internet and data related to its transmission, including locations of individuals and transactions.
Allow courts to compel other parties to preserve electronic evidence.

Toews, Justice Minister Rob Nicholson and Senator Jean-Guy Dagenais are scheduled to make an announcement at 12:30 p.m. ET Tuesday that will likely be the introduction of the new bill.

Scarpaleggia alleged during question period Monday that the government is "preparing to read Canadians' emails and track their movements through cellphone signals, in both cases without a warrant."

He questioned whether the government could be trusted with such "sweeping powers" and suggested they could be misused to intimidate Canadians gathering to protest issues such as a pipeline or pension cuts.

Toews responded that every province supports the bill and similar legislation was first introduced by the Liberal government when it was in power, before the Conservatives were elected.

"As technology evolves, many criminal activities, such as the distribution of child pornography, become much easier," he added. "We are proposing … measures to bring our laws into the 21st century and provide police with the lawful tools we need."

He then went on to make the statement suggesting Scarpaleggia was aligning himself with child pornographers.

It's not the first time Toews has painted critics of lawful access as aiding the makers of child pornography, said Michael Geist, a University of Ottawa law professor who has raised his own concerns about lawful access.

On Twitter, Geist posted a link to a Feb. 3 tweet from Toews that read, "Lawful access will aid child porn investigations. I call on the NDP to stop making things easier for predators and support these measures." He also referred to a similar Toews remark on Nov. 15 that suggested opposition to lawful access amounted to support for both child porn and organized crime.

Anticipating the reintroduction of lawful access legislation, many privacy and consumer advocates and opposition politicians, including the federal, provincial and territorial privacy commissioners, have been speaking out and lobbying against the proposals recently.

Many have expressed particular concerns about the provision that would require internet service providers to hand police subscriber data without a warrant. While the Conservative government has likened this to information available from a phone book, critics say it could be used to get far more information about law-abiding citizens.

For example, Geist said it could indeed be used indirectly to track Canadians' movements through their cellphone signals as Scarpaleggia alleges. That's because technology exists to scan for the identification numbers of cellphones nearby, and subscriber data from wireless providers would be able to link those numbers to the names and addresses of individuals.

"All without court oversight," he added in an email.

Link: Article on CBC.

I find this horrible that the Canadian Government would try to push a bill similar to SOPA, and even use the same "you are with child pronographers" tactic!

It has begun.

Edit: Related reading: Tories stand firm on 'lawful access' legislation

'He can either stand with us or with the child pornographers.'—Vic Toews, Minister of Public Safety

What a papaya; people need to jump off that goddamned bandwagon sometime this century, that's the most overused excuse to do stupid pomegranate like this, I swear.

I guess politicians are horrible no matter what country they are from.

Things got serious when the worldwide SOPA, called ACTA went out to public.

My god no where is safe

I rather see the internet burning than being controlled by faggots like politicians and fucking companies.

I rather see the internet burning than being controlled by faggots like politicians and fucking companies.

Same, it's a s`hithole now.

I rather see the internet burning than being controlled by faggots like politicians and fucking companies.

Well, that's what happened to radio/television.

Good grief.

Unless the Tories see EXTREME disapproval similar to the Wiki blackout, I can't see this not passing, since they have majority in Parliament, and the Senate is their peach.

Annnnd we're done for.

Thanks Harper.

The only thing we can hope for is that the courts strike it down as unconstitutional.

This is disgustingly laughable: "He can either stand with us or with the child pornographers,"

What a left-handed dick.

Everyone who is Canadian, phone your MP (google search your city name and MP) and tell them that you oppose this and want to make your voice heard. And tell everyone you know to do the same.

Canadians aren't very vocal about things but this is one time we need to have our voices heard.

Can the world really not get their pomegranate together for a day to see what the pineapple is wrong with them?

Also, you can email Vic Teows directly here

http://stopspying.ca/

'He can either stand with us or the child pornographers.'—Vic Toews, Minister of Public Safety

I laughed about this, I heard radio stations talking about this earlier this morning, there are only two options to choose from; there are other reasons to disagree to the bill. The last thing we need is someone controlling the internet; freedom is speech is a big thing about it and it takes all our rights away as well as loads of websites that may have "copyrighted" material, which would include Youtube, Facebook, Twitter, news sites, etc.

All of this because the Hollywood producers don't want any of their content pirated; this isn't the way to go.

Because Child Pornography is EVERYWHERE.

Can't click a single link online without CHILD PORN.

Called them and posted on facebook I hope ill be able to get it on my school news.

[INDENT]Because Child Pornography is EVERYWHERE.

Can't click a single link online without CHILD PORN. [/INDENT]

...Geeze locked I didn't know you were into that.

-shot-

What.
Really?
pineapple it, I was planning to move in with Sarah if SOPA passed.
Oh well, I guess it's time to delete all the CP off my computer.

 And by CP I mean...

CHEESE PIZZA!