The government is launching an online consultation on privacy and C-51 and we need your help to send them a strong message.

John,

Canada’s spy agency CSE is in court, struggling to explain how it accidentally shared innocent citizens’ private metadata with foreign governments.² If we don’t act fast to repeal C-51, reckless privacy breaches like this will not only be legal, they’ll be the new normal.

Very soon, the Canadian Government will be holding an online consultation about bill C-51. We need your help to send them a strong message.

This consultation is our best remaining chance to repeal C-51, but only if you can donate now to develop a brand-new tool to flood them with responses.

It’s very important that we start right away. If you can contribute today, we’ll build a custom tool to:

• Help you navigate their consultation and provide all the background information you need to make an informed, pro-privacy submission.
• Amplify the voices of Canadians who understand that our privacy is non-negotiable.
• Flood the government’s consultation with citizen voices.

Over 400,000 of us have spoken out, and the Government is starting to listen. But we have to keep at it if we want to win.

Your gift of just $20 will empower as many as 10,000 people to put their voices on the official record, so please donate now.

This is about more than just law and policy. It’s about who we are as a nation: if you believe there is nothing Canadian about undermining our fundamental rights, please join us in this fight before time runs out.

For the internet, Laura and your OpenMedia team

Backgrounder

Why are we against bill C-51? You can read our C-51 Primer here

Don’t just take our word for it. You can see our sources in the footnotes below.

FAQ

“The Trudeau government is still pretty new — shouldn’t we give them time to make a decision before you demand they repeal C-51?”

We can’t risk waiting to find out what decision they’ll make for us. This is an active consultation and we are being asked to speak up.³ If enough of us take action, then they can’t help but see how many Canadians want new legislation that defends our rights and freedoms.

“I want this bill amended, not repealed. Aren’t some parts are worth keeping?”

Too many harmful portions⁴ of this legislation will remain on the books unless we repeal C-51. We don’t believe it’s possible to build positive change on such a compromised foundation.

Footnotes

[1] Privacy Commissioner raises concerns about Bill C-51 Office of the Privacy Commissioner
[2] Canadian electronic spy agency’s unlawful metadata sharing went on for years before being fixed National Post
[3] Liberals’ C-51 Changes Open To Consultations, Public Safety Minister Says Huffington Post
[4] 8 things you need to know about Bill C-51 BCCLA