Ottawa unveils plans to eavesdrop on your conversations

cybercoma · June 18, 2012

Ottawa intends to eavesdrop on conversations that travellers have at border crossings and airports. Supporters of this move argue that recording the conversation of travellers will help expedite prosecutions and make travel safer. Vic Toews says that "the privacy rights of law abiding Canadians are respected at all times." What do you think? Is this a necessary measure to keep Canadians safe or is the government going too far?

GostHacked · June 18, 2012

Seems like Mr Toews needs another dose of his own medicine.

eyeball · June 18, 2012

Too far in the wrong direction and looking for security in all the wrong places.

Public Safety Minister Vic Toews told the MPs during question period “I can assure the member that the privacy rights of law abiding Canadians are respected at all times.”

George Orwell had it bass-ackwards, we should be installing high-definition cameras and microphones in the offices of the Vic Toews of the world. It's their rights to secrecy that are creating all the real insecurity in the world.

GostHacked · June 18, 2012

Too far in the wrong direction and looking for security in all the wrong places.

George Orwell had it bass-ackwards, we should be installing high-definition cameras and microphones in the offices of the Vic Toews of the world. It's their rights to secrecy that are creating all the real insecurity in the world.

Agreed. Open government? We all know what a joke that is. Let's use the line against Mr Toews 'If you got nothing to hide, then what is the problem?' ... I wonder what his reaction would be to that.

cybercoma · June 18, 2012

George Orwell had it bass-ackwards, we should be installing high-definition cameras and microphones in the offices of the Vic Toews of the world. It's their rights to secrecy that are creating all the real insecurity in the world.

Interesting thought.

IMHO, I think Aldous Huxley was closer to the reality we face today.

Argus · June 18, 2012

Some people can sure get upset over some picayune stuff. :rolleyes:

cybercoma · June 18, 2012

Some people can sure get upset over some picayune stuff.

These types of things usually go before the Privacy Commissioner for a review before they implement them. The Privacy Commissioner hadn't even heard about it.

The_Squid · June 18, 2012

My conversations are private matter, unless I choose otherwise, even in an airport. This is ridiculous. Go get a warrant if they think that I am a security concern.

cybercoma · June 18, 2012

I think Vic took the whole #tellviceverything thing a little too far.

Argus · June 18, 2012

My conversations are private matter, unless I choose otherwise, even in an airport. This is ridiculous. Go get a warrant if they think that I am a security concern.

Nothing you do or say is private in a public place, and they don't come much more public than the airport. And if you think the Conservatives are tweaking your big brother fears you ought to see what the Labour party did in the UK. There are cameras EVERYWHERE.

eyeball · June 18, 2012

Nothing you do or say is private in a public place, and they don't come much more public than the airport. And if you think the Conservatives are tweaking your big brother fears you ought to see what the Labour party did in the UK. There are cameras EVERYWHERE.

So WTF are conservatives doing following the example of the big bad lefties - ESPECIALLY when it comes to the state invading people's privacy?

The irony goes way way beyond capturing the hypocrisy.

Edited June 18, 2012 by eyeball

cybercoma · June 18, 2012

Nothing you do or say is private in a public place, and they don't come much more public than the airport. And if you think the Conservatives are tweaking your big brother fears you ought to see what the Labour party did in the UK. There are cameras EVERYWHERE.

If the NDP brought CC cameras to Canada, I would abandon the party quicker than Belinda Stronach.

Fletch 27 · June 19, 2012

I'm SURE yor awar this is not "bugging" or tapping into cell-phones right? Of your having Dialog at the GTAA regarding a bomb... I'm fully in support of this... Its comforting to see the Harper party taking and active role against terrorism... Its ABOUT TIME we took steps in this direction. I do like the anouncemet and the sheer transparency in this. Goood for the Tories in trying to turn terrorism around.

cybercoma · June 19, 2012

I do like the anouncemet and the sheer transparency in this.

The Privacy Commissioner was completely in the dark about this. There's no way to spin that as transparent.

Jack Weber · June 19, 2012

The Privacy Commissioner was completely in the dark about this. There's no way to spin that as transparent.

Didn't you know that in Fletchworld EVERYTHING the Tories do is transparent and accountable???

It says so on the brochure so it must be true...

Oh..I forgot...It's also about the "freedom"...

Edited June 19, 2012 by Jack Weber

cybercoma · June 19, 2012

I have to say, I'm growing pretty tired of the buzzwords/phrases. Being transparent about not being transparent sort of defeats the idea of transparency. A privacy assessment is required for this sort of thing. When the Privacy Commissioner doesn't know the first thing about it... that's bad. Very bad.

But hey, f*** you, Canada! We have a majority.

bush_cheney2004 · June 19, 2012

...But hey, f*** you, Canada! We have a majority.

That was good enough for the Liberals, natural ruling party of Canada.

Fletch 27 · June 19, 2012

F+ck me? Wow... That's just words.. I'm ok with that (I see how you "roll")... BUT... This change is about transparency AND aCCOUNTABILITY!!!!! My families fafety is worth WAY more than your little word uttered between you and your ... "Spouse"...

Would you also like CciS to utter everything to the media like where checkpoints are, hot-bottons, profiles, etc?? Etc??

Transparence and accountability is what Harper is exuding...he is deviating from the norm.. And its great..

You and your "spouce", male or female, can talk naught in the car.. On the eay to the airport...

Love,

Fletch

I have to say, I'm growing pretty tired of the buzzwords/phrases. Being transparent about not being transparent sort of defeats the idea of transparency. A privacy assessment is required for this sort of thing. When the Privacy Commissioner doesn't know the first thing about it... that's bad. Very bad.

But hey, f*** you, Canada! We have a majority.

Rick · June 19, 2012

That was good enough for the Liberals, natural ruling party of Canada.

The Liberals while arrogant, were never this arrogant and quick to violate freedoms and rights.

Besides I thought Americans despised that sort of big brother invasive type of government

Moonlight Graham · June 19, 2012

My conversations are private matter, unless I choose otherwise, even in an airport. This is ridiculous. Go get a warrant if they think that I am a security concern.

Darn right. Or they must have probable cause, but what is to stop anyone working the mics from eavesdropping at their leisure, or when the boss isn't around? This is too dangerous, too covert, too easily susceptible to corruption. The terrorism security situation in Canada is under enough control by our state that such a breach of civil liberty/legal rights is not necessary or defensible.

I think this is arguably a violation of Section 8 of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms: "8. Everyone has the right to be secure against unreasonable search or seizure". It seems like just more ridiculous Big Brother bullshit from Vic Toews and the CPC. They clearly want more power to spy on the citizenry, and they will not get it I hope. Some bunch of "conservatives" they are! I thought conservatives are supposed to have great mistrust of the state & wish to minimize its influence?

The thing is, Vic Toews isn't an idiot. He's a lawyer, he knows the law & the constitution, he knows exactly what he's doing, and knows exactly how to manipulate the law and find cracks/loopholes in the law to achieve whatever bullcrap authoritarian agenda he or the CPC has.

bush_cheney2004 · June 19, 2012

The Liberals while arrogant, were never this arrogant and quick to violate freedoms and rights.

Oh no....never...just ask the Chinese, Native, Ukrainian, Japanese, and Black immigrants! The Liberal party of Canada was always looking out for their freedoms and rights...yes suh!

Rick · June 19, 2012

Oh no....never...just ask the Chinese, Native, Ukrainian, Japanese, and Black immigrants! The Liberal party of Canada was always looking out for their freedoms and rights...yes suh!

Well if you want to go back that far then yes, I'd say much more so than the rights of those in the south who were forced to work on plantations.

Canada welcomed the draft dodgers.

But you didn't answer my question, I thought you Americans were loathe to support that type of invasive big brother style of government...

dre · June 19, 2012

So WTF are conservatives doing following the example of the big bad lefties - ESPECIALLY when it comes to the state invading people's privacy?

The irony goes way way beyond capturing the hypocrisy.

Because thats the one thing that big liberal and big conservative governments have in common! They hate our freedom.

The_Squid · June 19, 2012

Nothing you do or say is private in a public place, and they don't come much more public than the airport. And if you think the Conservatives are tweaking your big brother fears you ought to see what the Labour party did in the UK. There are cameras EVERYWHERE.

No, actually.... They are not. No one can record my conversation that they are not a part of without my consent. The government certainly should not be allowed to do so.

Fletch 27 · June 19, 2012

This is about nothing but openness and clarity. Step your foot of to our ground and we will watch and listen tobyou qlk the way off. Good for the Tories for protecting our borders.