Goodale urges public discussion on police access to passwords and digital data
OTTAWA — Canadians need to think about how far police should be allowed to go in accessing their electronic devices and communications, the federal public safety minister says.
A federal review of cybersecurity will provide a chance to discuss a proposal from Canada’s police chiefs for a new law that would compel people to hand over passwords with a judge’s consent, Ralph Goodale said Wednesday.
The Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police says the measure is needed to fight criminals in cyberspace who increasingly use tools to hide their identities and communications.
In the United States, there are literally thousands of smartphones and other digital devices “sitting on shelves” because authorities can’t get into them, said Terrence Cunningham, a police chief in Massachusetts and president of the International Association of Chiefs of Police.