Bill C-30, Protecting Children from Internet Predators Act (February 2012)

On February 14, 2012, the federal government once more introduced a legislative package of lawful access bills.  This time, they rolled all of the proposed amendments into a single omnibus measure: Bill C-30, Protecting Children from Internet Predators Act.  Bill C-30 is sub-divided into two parts which largely replicate former Bills C-50, 51 and 52 from the 2011 proposals:

• Part 1 enacts former Bill C-52, now named the “Investigating and Preventing Criminal Electronic Communications Act”, with some minor changes;
• Part 2 combines former Bills C-50 and C-52 without substantial alteration.

Once again, provisions such as new police powers for the warrentless collection of subscriber information from ISPs (internet service providers) are raising concerns amongst privacy commissioners, civil society and the public.