The Liberal government has decided to split its border security plan into two separate bills, hoping to move forward more quickly with less controversial parts while giving Canadians more time to debate tougher issues.
The new legislation, called Bill C-12, was introduced on Wednesday. It includes several ideas first proposed in Bill C-2 back in June, such as expanding the Coast Guard’s role, improving immigration and refugee systems, increasing information sharing on sex offenders, and tightening control over chemicals used to make illegal drugs.
Public Safety Minister Gary Anandasangaree said the government still plans to push ahead with Bill C-2, which includes new powers for authorities to search mail and access personal information.
By dividing the legislation, the government hopes Bill C-12 can move through Parliament faster, while Bill C-2 will follow later. Overlapping sections from the first bill will be removed to avoid duplication.
However, the decision has faced strong criticism from human rights and civil society groups. Tim McSorley of the International Civil Liberties Monitoring Group said splitting the bill instead of fixing it was “outrageous” and that both bills should be withdrawn.
Karen Cocq from the Migrant Rights Network also said the new bill still threatens due process and the rights of vulnerable people.
Anandasangaree explained that revising the old bill directly wasn’t possible because Parliament has strict rules about what kinds of changes can be made once a bill is introduced.
When it was first proposed in June, the government said the goal was to strengthen border security, fight organized crime, stop fentanyl smuggling, and crack down on money laundering. The plan had support from police chiefs, child protection groups, and Canada’s national fentanyl adviser.
But more than 300 civil society organizations have urged Ottawa to drop the bills, warning that they could harm privacy rights, limit asylum claims, and give Canada Post new powers to open and search mail.
The Liberal minority government has also struggled to win enough support from opposition parties to pass the legislation.
