Canadian MP accuses online surveillance bill opponents of siding with ‘child pornographers’

Opponents of a controversial bill that would give authorities new powers to increase online monitoring of Canadians have been accused of siding with “child pornographers” by Safety Minister Vic Toews.

The so-called “lawful access” legislation, tabled in the House of Commons on Tuesday and expected to pass under a Conservative majority government, means Internet service providers and cellphone companies must hand over basic subscriber information of customers to law enforcement agencies.

Opponents of the proposed law claim it is ‘untenable’, but Mr. Toews said yesterday that people “can either stand with us or with the child pornographers.”

The claim, which caused outrage among opposition MPs, came after Liberal public safety critic Francis Scarpaleggia asked Mr. Toews in the House of Commons how Canadians were supposed to trust the government wouldn’t use the private information they obtained online to intimidate citizens.

“We are proposing measures to bring our laws into the 21st century and to provide the police with the lawful tools that they need,” Mr. Toews said to the MP for Lac-Saint-Louis, Quebec. “He can either stand with us or with the child pornographers.”

Sorry Canada…it looks like the “crazy” is spreading north faster than we all thought.

Is it Shareworthy?