Advertisement

Lawful access bill could lead to exit from Canada, major VPN provider says

Click to play video: 'Feds ‘not looking for sneaky ways to surveil Canadians’ with Bill 22: Anandasangaree'
Feds ‘not looking for sneaky ways to surveil Canadians’ with Bill 22: Anandasangaree
Public Safety Minister Gary Anandasangaree, standing alongside Toronto police Chief Myron Demkiw, said the federal government’s newly tabled “lawful access” legislation is not intended to spy on Canadians. "We’re not looking for sneaky ways to surveil Canadians,” he added – Mar 19, 2026

Virtual private network service NordVPN says it could pull out of Canada over the federal government’s proposed lawful access bill.

NordVPN says it is reviewing the bill and would consider leaving Canada if the bill requires it to compromise its privacy protections.

Earlier this week, The Globe and Mail reported that the encrypted messaging service Signal said it would leave Canada if the bill requires it to compromise user privacy.

Get breaking Canada news delivered to your inbox as it happens so you won't miss a trending story.

Get breaking National news

Get breaking Canada news delivered to your inbox as it happens so you won't miss a trending story.
By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy.

The comments from Signal follow warnings from big tech companies Apple and Meta that the legislation threatens to compromise their encryption services.

The bill also has run into fierce opposition from civil liberties groups and law professors who say it would open the door to serious privacy infringements.

The government says the bill will ensure law enforcement agencies have the legal tools to prevent, investigate and respond to modern crime and protect Canadians in a Charter-compliant manner.

Story continues below advertisement

— With files from Jim Bronskill

Click to play video: 'Liberals table tweaked ‘lawful access’ bill after privacy concerns, backlash'
Liberals table tweaked ‘lawful access’ bill after privacy concerns, backlash

Sponsored content

AdChoices