Baltej Singh Dhillon
Role at the time: Canadian senator for British Columbia and sponsor of Bill C-22
Defended or excused
Statement summary
Dhillon argues that Bill C-22 provides a framework for investigative powers bounded by law, independent authorization and review.
“Our responsibility is to build a Canadian framework that responds to genuine investigative needs and complies with our Charter, our legal traditions and our commitment to cybersecurity. Law enforcement and the Canadian Security Intelligence Service, or CSIS, must be able to adapt, but that adaptability must remain bound by law, independent authorization and meaningful review. Bill C-22 provides a framework for that work.”
Read the original text (opens in a new tab)Senate debate on Bill C-22's lawful-access powersBill C-22 second reading: Dhillon, Simons and Woo speeches
The debate contains competing evaluations of capability obligations, metadata retention, cybersecurity and oversight.
Archived copy (opens in a new tab)Why we used this label
The case concerns Bill C-22's compulsory lawful-access capabilities and retention framework. Dhillon endorses the bill as a framework for investigative powers governed by legal limits, independent authorization and review.