Privacy heads urge Canada to be cautious

ST. JOHN'S, Newfoundland, Sept. 10 (UPI) -- The Canadian government was urged Thursday to slow down on bills that would allow surveillance of Internet, wireless and telephone traffic.

At a meeting of privacy commissioners from across the country in St. John's, Newfoundland, the group urged parliamentarians to rethink two security bills introduced in June as a means of bringing national security laws into the 21st century and address the new forms of communication.

The bills would allow monitoring such data without judicial authorization.

National Privacy Commissioner Jennifer Stoddart said in a statement it was a dangerous area for the government to be exploring.

"The current proposal will give police authorities unprecedented access to Canadians' personal information," Stoddart said.

Ed Ring, the Information and Privacy Commissioner for Newfoundland and Labrador, agreed.

"The government has not yet provided compelling evidence to demonstrate the need for new powers that would threaten that careful balance between individual privacy and the legitimate needs of law enforcement and national security agencies," he said.

Parliament reconvenes Sept. 14.