B.C. policing leaders support digital evidence modernization bill

B.C.’s top policing officials are supporting a proposed law aimed at making it easier for police to access digital evidence.

A day after he tabled a revised bill to expedite digital evidence-gathering for investigators, Canada’s public safety minister was in Vancouver flanked by some of British Columbia’s top law enforcement officials supporting the legislation.

Originally, the legislation was heavily criticized by privacy watchdogs and civil liberties advocates, but the current version of Bill C-22 has been revised and narrowed to a point that it’s not facing so much pushback.

Policing brass are fully supportive of the legislation, which would expedite existing workflows to compel service providers to provide information like addresses and full names, as well as provisions to require social media companies to provide information.

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“Our laws have not kept pace with the criminals who break them,” Public Safety Minister Gary Anandasangeree told journalists while touting the bill.

The commanding officer of the B.C. RCMP agreed, with Deputy Commissioner Dwayne McDonald pointing out “this is a universal problem across law enforcement, and it has been for decades, and it needs to be addressed.”

British Columbia has been at the forefront of online legislation, becoming one of the first jurisdictions in the world to go after distributors of revenge porn and consider consequences for new technologies not contemplated under old legislation.

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“The bill also crucially brings us in line with other jurisdictions around the world when it comes to investigative tools involving social media companies and online cross-border crime,” said B.C. Solicitor General Nina Krieger.

Vancouver Police Chief Const. Steve Rai told reporters his department’s Internet Child Exploitation Unit investigates upwards of 600 cases each year, with nearly all beginning with limited information that requires judicial authorization for production orders to identify critical evidence.

“By allowing police to efficiently identify which service providers to serve production orders on, and by requiring faster responses from these providers, Bill C 22 would improve our ability to focus investigations and resources, identify suspects, and locate victims who require support and protection,” he said.

McDonald pointed out nearly all investigations rely on very basic information, “whether it’s low-level, like an auto offense, or all the way home invasions, carjackings, homicide, national security, all of that – phone numbers or internet addresses are often key and a key starting point and a building block in investigations.”

With a minority in parliament, the Liberals need support outside their party to pass the bill and make it law. From there, Krieger said it would “gradually adapt” to better keep pace with the rapid changes in the digital realm.