The Liberal government plans to introduce legislation that would allow them to unilaterally quarantine Canadians from the internet, despite international recognition of internet access as a human right, reported the National Post.

Bill C-8, undergoing its second reading, empowers the Minister of Industry (Mélanie Joly), in consultation with the Minister of Public Safety (Gary Anandasangaree), to direct telecom providers (e.g., Rogers, Telus) to disconnect internet services for "any specified person" by amending the Telecommunications Act.

The industry minister could prohibit a telecommunications provider from offering service to any “specified person” without a warrant, with oversight only occurring after the order.

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You need to be very concerned about Bill C8.

It allows @melaniejoly to kick anyone off the internet with no trial, no warrant.

Worse, you won’t be allowed to say you’ve been kicked off.

This is the Emergency Measures Act on steroids, only permanent and secret. pic.twitter.com/pSEEIdExjj

— Matt Strauss (@strauss_matt) September 27, 2025

Last week in the House of Commons, Minister Anandasangaree defended Bill C-8, stating it would crack down on hackers and ransomware fraudsters. He emphasized that "malicious cyber-actors are breaching our country’s IT systems, accessing sensitive information and putting lives in danger.”

“Hostile state actors are stealing information and gaining access to systems critical to our national security and public safety,” Anandasangaree added.

Individuals who breach the order, including by revealing its secrecy, face fines of up to $25,000 for a first offense and $50,000 for subsequent offenses. Businesses could be fined up to $10 million for a first offense and up to $15 million for subsequent offenses.

The Canadian Constitution Foundation (CCF) states that despite a Federal Court review after issuance, the orders "would remain secret indefinitely." 

Under Bill C-8, the minister must provide an annual report to Parliament on the necessity, reasonableness, and utility of orders issued. Parliament was advised to mandate judicial pre-authorization or automatic judicial review for disconnections from Internet or phone services.

I know many of you have seen this but please understand this paragraph from bill C-8
This means that Melanie Joly has the power to not only remove someone’s access to the internet if she feels it necessary but stop them from ever having access as well, without any due process.… pic.twitter.com/VQFl02ODGO

— Ryan Gerritsen🇨🇦🇳🇱 (@ryangerritsen) September 27, 2025

CCF Counsel Josh Dehaas stated that the bill's lack of safeguards for the serious power to cut off Canadians' internet or cellphone service is a concern.

Dehaas expressed concern that while such power may prevent cyber attacks, it risks civil liberties. He worries the law could “secretly cut off political dissidents from their phone or Internet service on the pretense that they may try to manipulate the telecom system,” thereby violating fundamental freedoms like free speech.

CCF Litigation Director Christine Van Geyn said that the government cannot be trusted with such a power unless proper safeguards are in place.

“You may think that the idea of the government cutting off political dissidents from the necessities of life sounds far-fetched, but that’s exactly what happened during the 2022 Freedom Convoy protests in Ottawa,” she said. 

“The federal government ordered banks to freeze hundreds of bank accounts without any judicial authorization, cutting protesters off from their money in the middle of a very cold winter.”

If you have not yet read the joint letter denouncing bill C8 (formerly Bill C26), I urge you to do so now!

It is signed by several civil society groups representing dozens of expert lawyers.

Bill C8:

Terminates Essential Services
Undermines privacy
Lacks guardrails to prevent… pic.twitter.com/kzCMgiRJBC

— Matt Strauss (@strauss_matt) September 29, 2025

Bill C-8 contradicts the Liberal government's past condemnation of internet control as a human rights threat.

As a founding member of the Freedom Online Coalition (FOC), Canada opposed "shrinking [the] civic and democratic spaces online due to State-sponsored obstruction of free expression, peaceful assembly, and free association."

Three years ago, the Liberal government stated: "the rights and freedoms that individuals have offline must also be protected online."

“Canada is committed to working with international partners to protect Internet freedom, including the rights to online freedom of expression, association and peaceful assembly,” reads a federal info sheet.

Currently, there is no mechanism by which a private citizen could have their internet services pulled by government order, excluding bail conditions for accused criminals.