More than 27,000 cell phones, iPads searched by Canada Border Services over 2 year period
January 22, 2020
The Canada Border Services Agency revealed that in a two-year period, border officials searched more than 27,000 travelers’ cellphones and iPads, the highest figure disclosed to date.
According to Blacklock’s Reporter, between November 20, 2017 to December 31, 2019, CBSA searched 27,405 digital devices. The Customs Act requires owners to surrender their passwords and keys to encrypted data to border officials, or risk having their property confiscated by inspectors.
CBSA did not reveal how many cellphones it had confiscated, nor did the agency identify the airports or crossings with the highest number of searches or confiscations. Access To Information documents obtained by Blacklock’s in 2018 demonstrated that 57% occurred at British Columbia border crossings followed by Ontario (18 percent), the Prairies (12 percent), Québec (11 percent) and Atlantic Canada land crossings (one percent).
The Agency said most searches, sixty percent, did not result in any further investigation.
These increased searches and confiscations have raised the ire of Conservative MPs, like Bob Zimmer, who told reporters. “We are recommending the government modernize the Customs Act to ensure personal information on electronic devices is protected and should only be examined with reasonable grounds.”
- By David Menzies
The Truth About Springfield
Springfield, Ohio, a town of 50,000, saw 20,000 migrants from Haiti arrive, causing a culture shock. Locals reported pets like kittens and geese being stolen, cooked, and eaten. But is this true, or just Internet click-bait? We've sent David Menzies to find out.
Take ActionDon't Get Censored
Big Tech is censoring us. Sign up so we can always stay in touch.
Don't Get Censored
Big Tech is censoring us. Sign up so we can always stay in touch.