By Canadian Press

Mendicino open to working with MPs to ‘improve’ much-criticized cybersecurity bill

Jan 10, 2023 | 10:12 AM

OTTAWA — The federal public safety minister says he is prepared to work with parliamentarians to revise the Liberal government’s cybersecurity bill after civil society groups and opposition MPs raised transparency and accountability concerns.

Marco Mendicino said in a recent interview that the bill introduced last year will ensure Canada has the needed defences to address the many online threats to national security.

The government wants to establish a framework to better shield systems vital to national security and give authorities new tools to respond to emerging dangers in cyberspace.

Under the bill, key enterprises in the banking and telecommunications industries would be required to improve cybersecurity and report digital attacks, or possibly face penalties.

Several civil society groups wrote an open letter to Mendicino last fall to push for changes, saying the bill would undermine privacy, accountability and judicial transparency.

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Mendicino says the government is ready to help find ways to “improve” the bill by striking a balance.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 10, 2023.

The Canadian Press