Coalition Warns Liberal Border Security Bill Threatens Rights and Liberties
Civil society warns new border security bill threatens human rights with expanded powers and privacy violations.
A sweeping new border security bill is drawing sharp criticism from a national coalition of civil society groups, who warn that the proposed legislation could significantly undermine human rights and individual freedoms. The coalition, led by the International Civil Liberties Monitoring Group, is urging the federal government to withdraw the bill in its current form and develop a more focused approach to specific border-related challenges.
The Strong Borders Act, which was introduced in Parliament this week, would arm authorities with expanded powers — including the ability to search mail without a warrant, more easily halt or revoke immigration applications, and broaden the Canadian Coast Guard’s mandate to include security operations. While the government maintains these measures are intended to shore up border security, combat organized crime, curb the influx of dangerous substances like fentanyl, and tackle money laundering, critics contend the bill goes far beyond those stated goals.
The coalition represents a broad cross-section of Canadian society, bringing together dozens of non-governmental organizations, unions, professional associations, faith groups, environmental advocates, and representatives of immigrant and refugee communities. Members fear that the bill’s provisions would give law enforcement and border officials excessive latitude to collect and use personal information, raising questions about privacy, due process, and the potential for abuse.
The International Civil Liberties Monitoring Group argues that many of the bill’s measures are unrelated to true border security needs and instead amount to an expansion of police powers over immigration processes and access to Canadians' private data. “Granting such wide-reaching authority under the guise of border security threatens to erode fundamental rights,” the coalition said in its statement.
As debate continues, pressure is mounting on the government to justify the scope of the bill and address concerns from civil society. The coalition is calling for a narrower, evidence-based approach to any legislative changes, emphasizing that protecting Canada’s borders should not come at the expense of the rights and freedoms long valued by Canadians.
