Canadian cops can use electronic surveillance without reporting it

Cory Doctorow 10:48 am Wed Feb 20, 2013

Nicholas Koutros sez,

Bill C-30 in Canada argued that police need new lawful access powers in order to keep up with modern criminals. This paper examines the police's own reports to demonstrate that the use of electronic surveillance is actually on the decline over the past 30 years; down nearly elevenfold. While it may be true that the process has become too onerous, as the police claim, we argue that this decline is the result of police not being compelled to report on new methods of surveillance.

The current report is antiquated and can't incorporate new methods of surveillance such as production orders. With Bill C-55 (which imposes new reporting requirements on emergency intercepts) currently being debated in the House of Commons it appears that MPs are finally recognizing the failings of the current transparency regime.

Big Brother's Shadow: Historical Decline in Electronic Surveillance by Canadian Federal Law Enforcement

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