Public Safety and National Security

The committee studied Bill C-8, an act respecting cyber security and amending the Telecommunications Act, with Minister of Industry Mélanie Joly appearing alongside officials Kasi McMicking, Andre Arbour, and Wen Kwan from the Department of Industry.

Minister Joly testified that Bill C-8 is essential to protect Canada's telecommunications networks from growing cyber-threats, which cost the economy $5 billion annually, and that it modernizes the Telecommunications Act by making security a core objective while giving the government targeted tools to address serious risks. She emphasized the bill does not allow shutting down services for individuals or intercepting private communications, and she expressed openness to amendments addressing proportionality, privacy, encryption, and clarifying that the bill targets companies, not individuals, while urging quick passage given Canada is the only Five Eyes country without such legislation.

Kasi McMicking did not provide substantive testimony beyond deferring to colleagues on technical questions.

Andre Arbour testified that Bill C-8 provides a framework to regulate telecommunications infrastructure, including managing supply chain risks like high-risk vendor equipment, and that it is country- and threat-agnostic. He disagreed with the need for judicial authorization, arguing that courts lack expertise in network regulation and that such oversight is not used in peer countries for this context, and he noted that personal information is not germane to the bill's activities, though he acknowledged openness to amendments on criteria for secrecy powers.

Wen Kwan testified that the department is focused on the security of infrastructure, not on where telecom companies outsource operations, and that if risks are identified, Bill C-8 would provide authority to address them.

The committee adopted a motion by unanimous consent to study the subject matter of Bill C-15, specifically clauses related to public safety, with the Minister of Public Safety and the National Police Federation to appear, and to forward recommendations to the Standing Committee on Finance by February 26, 2026.