What we’ve been up to in 2025: Help us protect civil liberties in 2026!

Credit: Tom Bastin/Flickr CC BY 2.0

Here is what we’ve accomplished in the second half of 2025 thanks to your support:

Border bills C-2 & C-12

Bill C-2, the rights-violating Strong Borders Act, was tabled in June 2025. The legislation is anti-privacy, anti-migrant and anti-refugee and will make people across Canada less safe by arbitrarily limiting the ability of individuals to claim asylum in Canada, in violation of international human rights law; allowing for the mass cancellation or suspension of immigration documents and applications (ex: visas, permanent residency cards) for entire groups of people, including individuals from certain countries, based on undefined “public interest” reasons; allowing police and intelligence agencies warrantless access to our personal information, in violation of privacy rights; granting the government the power to issue secret orders to internet service providers to modify their systems to facilitate surveillance and possibly undermine encryption, placing our data at risk; allowing Canada Post to open and search our letter mail; and much more.

Bill C-12, the Strengthening Canada’s Immigration System and Borders Act, was tabled in October 2025 in response to critiques of C-2, particularly around privacy violations. The bill replicates Bill C-2’s anti-migrant and anti-refugee provisions, among others. With support of opposition parties, the Liberal government intends to pass Bill C-12 more quickly, while stating it will take more time to examine the remaining aspects of Bill C-2.

Over this time, the ICLMG has:

  • Reacted quickly with a preliminary analysis of Bill C-2 which was broadly quoted by media and MPs in the House.
  • Met with several partners to discuss, strategize and coordinate the fight against Bill C-2
  • Created an action calling for Bill C-2 to be withdrawn, and updated it to oppose Bill C-12.
  • Co-organized an open letter opposing C-2, signed by 176 organizations.
  • Co-organized a press release and press conference announcing the call from 300 organizations for Bill C-2 to be withdrawn.
  • Met with several MPs, government officials and ministerial staff to voice our concerns.
  • Presented on C-2 in a community forum organized by the Kensington-Bellwoods Community Legal Services.
  • Attended briefings about C-2 organized by Public Safety, Justice Canada, and Finance.
  • Co-organized and moderated a webinar attended by hundreds to stop Bill C-2.
  • Signed onto a letter denouncing C-2 initiated by the Internet Society and published in the Hill Times.
  • Participated in a press release denouncing Bill C-12, and supported a joint press conference against C-12 after many groups were blocked from testifying at committee.
  • Sent briefs on C-12 to both CIMM and SECU committees.
  • Spoke on a webinar entitled “Mapping the Threat: How Recent Federal Bills Would Erode Our Rights and Freedoms” organized by the Centre for Free Expression at the Toronto Metropolitan University.

Bill C-9: The “Combatting Hate” Act

Bill C-9, the Combatting Hate Act, was introduced in September 2025. The bill is aimed at preventing hate crimes but instead threatens the Charter rights and freedoms of all people in Canada, including those communities that the government wishes to help protect. Bill C-9 would give police discretionary powers to decide which symbols are “principally associated” with a listed terror entities as well as determine the motivations and intentions of protesters, and would create new categories of buildings and infrastructure around which these new rules would apply. These new powers, combined with increased jail sentences, will significantly undermine free expression and dissent, sending a chill amongst those who would otherwise take part in protests. The removal of the existing requirements for attorney general approval of laying hate propaganda charges compounds these concerns. This bill is highly alarming, especially in the context of the crackdown on Palestinian solidarity and anti-genocide protests.

Since it was introduced, ICLMG has:

  • Met with several partners to discuss, strategize and coordinate the fight against Bill C-9
  • Created an action calling for Bill C-9 to be withdrawn
  • Organized a briefing on Bill C-9 hosted by Justice Canada
  • Spoke at a webinar with Khaled Alqazzaz organized by CMPAC
  • Appeared at the House of Commons Standing Committee on Justice re: Bill C-9
  • Submitted a brief to the Justice committee
  • Met with several MPs, government officials and ministerial staff to voice our concerns
  • Spoke to several media about the bill
  • Participated in a joint press conference hosted by Senator Woo
  • Signed onto several joint letters calling for C-9 to be withdrawn
  • Sent a letter to the Justice committee’s Chair urging him to rule out of order an amendment to C-9 that would have brought back a Charter-violating anti-terrorism offence, unrelated to C-9/combatting hate, bypassing debate and scrutiny at committee.
  • Updated our action and sent a mass email urging people to denounce the addition of the above amendment to C-9. The amendment was removed!

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Impacts of Countering Terrorism Financing

We continue to be heavily engaged in monitoring and addressing the impacts of Canada’s counter terrorism financing regime, especially its effects on civil society, civic space and international assistance. Since May, we have:

  • Attended an information session and discussion on Canada’s Financial Action Task Force’s (FATF) Evaluation and the Role of Non-Profit Organizations (NPOs).
  • Made a submission in advance of the Financial Action Task Force’s (FATF) upcoming on-site review of Canada’s anti-money laundering and counter-terrorist financing (CTF) regime.
  • Continued to engage in Finance Canada’s dialogue sessions with civil society, including:
    • attending the GoC-NPO Dialogue Session on derisking
    • meeting with Finance Canada to share feedback regarding the National Inherent Risk Assessment
    • attending and presenting on the impacts of financial service derisking on NPOs at the first ever NPO and Advisory Committee on Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing Dialogue
  • Reacted to the much-anticipated report of the National Security and Intelligence Review Agency (NSIRA) on prejudiced audits of Muslim-led charities – an ICLMG recommendation from our 2021 report: New watchdog report finds government approach to counter-terror audits of Muslim charities is flawed, raises substantial concerns of bias and discrimination.
  • Joined The Palestine Tribunal on Canadian Responsibility to speak about our work on how Canada’s counter terrorist financing regime is used to target, surveil, undermine and shut down Muslim-led charities and the impact that this has on support for and solidarity with Palestinians. We also denounced the several roadblocks targeting the event and some of its participants, including the hours-long detention and questioning by CBSA of guest speaker Richard Falk, a former UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Palestinian territories, at his arrival at the Toronto Pearson airport.


Hassan Diab and Extradition

In April 2023, France proceeded with the trial of Dr. Hassan Diab for the 1980 Rue Copernic bombing, and in a miscarriage of justice, convicted him in absentia after a rushed and unfair trial that ignored the exculpatory evidence that led to his release and return to Canada in 2018, and sentenced him to life in prison. The French court has issued an arrest warrant, but it is unclear if France has filed a new extradition request. This unfair conviction of an innocent man and the Canadian government’s refusal to publicly commit to protecting Dr. Diab have left him in limbo. In this context, we have:

  • Created a new emailing campaign and shared it extensively, on social media and in the News Digest, alongside the Hassan Diab Support committee’s postcard campaign and their Nov 14 event.

Opposing Canada’s complicity in torture

On June 26, the United Nations’ International Day in Support of Victims of Torture, ICLMG sent three letters to three ministers of the new federal government calling on them to stop the Canadian government’s complicity in torture. We also posted the three letters on our website with two corresponding updated actions and shared it widely on our social media:

  • A letter to the Minister of Public Safety, Gary Anandasangaree, calling on him to stop the deportation to torture proceedings against Mohamed Harkat once and for all.
  • A letter to the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Anita Anand, calling on her to repatriate all Canadians detained in northeast Syria in life-threatening conditions akin to torture.
  • A letter to the Minister of Justice & the Prime Minister calling on them to settle the lawsuit to the satisfaction of Abousfian Abdelrazik and provide redress for Canada’s role in his torture.

December 10, 2025 – ironically International Human Rights Day – marked 23 years since Mohamed Harkat was arrested and put under a security certificate despite never having been charged, let alone convicted of any crime. We updated and re-shared our action for the government the stop his deportation to torture once and for all.

Artificial Intelligence

ICLMG continues to be active around the development of AI regulatory frameworks in Canada and the importance of addressing the use of AI by national security organizations.

  • We continue to attend regular meetings of the cross-Canada AI and Civil Society network.
  • We continue to monitor the government’s actions re: AI and national security
  • We signed onto a joint letter calling for an Overhaul Canada’s Digital Policy Approach.
  • We joined 160+ civil society & human rights orgs, experts & advocates in opposing ISED’s “National Sprint” consultation on AI strategy, in an open letter pointing to numerous AI-related harms and establishing an alternative “People’s Consultation on AI.”

Oversight and review

  • We continue to follow up with Public Safety on the establishment of the Public Complaint and Review Commission (PCRC) for the RCMP and CBSA following the passage of Bill C-20 in October 2024. Initially delayed because of the federal elections, the government has failed to make any new announcements about the launch of the PCRC, and did not allocate any new funding in the 2025 budget.
  • We observed with alarm that the 2025 federal budget projects a 13-15% reduction of the budget for the National Security and Intelligence Committee of Parliamentarians, and the National Security and Intelligence Review Agency over the next three years, leading to a reduction in their crucial review activities, as the government pushes for new national security powers in Parliament. It is unclear so far if the Intelligence Commissioner’s budget will be reduced as well.
  • We met with NSIRA officials to discuss the agency’s ongoing reviews and resource concerns, and to share about ICLMG’s work.

Anti-terrorism, national security and international bodies

The ICLMG continues to participate in the Civil Society Coalition on Human Rights and Counterterrorism (CSO Coalition). Since May, this has included:

  • Participating in a consultation re the Coalition’s submission in response to the Special Rapporteur’s call for input on the 9th review of the UN Global Counter-terrorism strategy.
  • Participating in the CSO Coalition’s UN Workstream strategy meeting planning for the next review of the UN’s Global Counterterrorism Strategy (GCTS).
  • Co-presenting, with La Ligue des droits et libertés, a contribution to the UN Special Rapporteur on counter-terrorism and human rights’ call for Inputs on the definitions of “terrorism”, “terrorist organisation” and “violent extremism” entitled: Pour un rejet du paradigme du “terrorisme” (In favour of rejecting the “terrorism” paradigm). It is only available in French now but will be translated to English in the new year.

And more!

ICLMG IN THE MEDIA

The “Combatting Hate Act” is part of a wave of anti-protest legislation in Canada, Changiz M. Varzi, CCPA, 8 December 2025

Coalition calls on Liberals to drop hate crime bill, says it criminalizes protest, Anja Karadeglija, The Canadian Press, 3 December 2025

Critics warn of Liberals’ ‘ever-expanding’ anti-hate bill over religious exemption and terrorism proposals, Stephanie Taylor, The National Post, 3 December 2025

Le projet de loi contre la haine menace le droit de manifester pacifiquement au Canada, Francis Hébert-Bernier, Pivot Québec, 21 November 2025

What is biometric data and what countries require travellers to give it?, Chris Knight, National Post, 28 October 2025

Coalition Condemns Carney’s New Border and Immigration Bill, Mata Press Service, Asian Pacific Post, 28 October 2025

Controversial border bill in Canada is ‘about pleasing Trump,’ says non-profit, National Trending Staff, The Daily Hive, 20 October 2025

Civil liberties groups urge Liberals to withdraw ‘vague’ anti-hate bill that opposition MPs say is ‘trying to lower the bar’ for prosecution, Stuart Benson, The Hill Times, 15 October 2025

Canada Bill C-12 condemned over failure to address human rights concerns, Harjaap Ahluwalia, Jurist News, 15 October 2025

Canadian legislation to combat hate crimes a threat to civil liberties, Redeye podcast, 12 October 2025

New hate crime law is a cover for suppressing Palestine protests, Desmond Cole, The Breach, 9 October 2025

Public Safety minister says he wants to push through refined warrantless powers to help police, Marie Woolf, The Globe and Mail, 9 October 2025

Liberals introduce 2nd border bill with aim to quickly pass less controversial measures, Jim Bronskill, The Canadian Press, 8 October 2025

Spy watchdog flags risk of bias in Canada Revenue Agency audits tied to terrorism, Jim Bronskill, The Canadian Press, 2 October 2025

CRA couldn’t justify why it was auditing Muslim charities: report, Catharine Tunney, CBC News, 2 October 2025

Open Letter: Bill C-2 Strong Borders Act, The Internet Society, The Hill Times, 15 September 2025

Migrant surveillance data no longer has to remain in Canada. That has civil liberties advocates worried., Patti Sonntag, The Investigative Journalism Foundation, 6 August 2025

A big brother bill, Holly Lake, The Canadian Bar Association National Magazine, 21 July 2025

With his immigration bill, Canada’s prime minister is bowing to Trump, Tayo Bero, The Guardian, 2 July 2025

Advocacy groups warn federal bill could give law enforcement sweeping powers to access information, Spencer Van Dyk, CTV News, 25 June 2025

Bill C-2 Gives Government Sweeping New Powers over Immigration, Fernando Arce, The Grind, 20 June 2025

What the ‘Strong Borders Act’ Gets Wrong, Crawford Kilian, The Tyee, 20 June 2025

Passport and visa details could be shared with police, U.S. under border bill, critics warn, Marie Woolf, The Globe and Mail, 19 June 2025

Hundreds of groups call on Ottawa to scrap border bill over privacy, rights concerns, Jim Bronskill, The Canadian Press, 18 June 2025: Guelph Today, Burnaby Now

Coalition of civil society organizations call for government to scrap Bill C-2, Global News, 18 June 2025

Closing the escape route from the USA to Canada, Edward Hasbrouck, Papers Please! 18 June 2025

C-2 a ‘power grab’ say civil liberties groups, Xiaoli li, City News, 18 June 2025

Bill C-2 Called ‘Trump-Style Crackdown’ by 300+ Advocacy Groups, John Quintet, iPhone in Canada, 18 June 2025

CSIS request for protester’s personal details raises red flags, watchdog says, Marie Woolf, The Globe and Mail, 17 June 2025

Border bill raises questions about expanded data sharing with U.S.: Citizen Lab, Jim Bronskill, The Canadian Press, 16 June 2025

Under Pressure From Pro-Israel Groups, Canadian Cities Are Restricting Protest, TruthOut, 15 June 2025

Rights, refugee groups concerned by Bill C-2, Quentin Amundson, The Catholic Register, 13 June 2025

Liberal border security bill poses serious risk to rights, liberties, coalition warns, Jim Bronskill, The Canadian Press, 5 June 2025: Toronto Star, SaskNow, New Westminster Record, National Post, Delta Optimist

Check out all coverage of ICLMG in the media here.

What we have planned for 2026!

We have our work cut out for us! As you’ve seen above, there are multiple new legislative attacks against the privacy rights, freedom of expression, freedom of assembly of all in Canada, as well as bills scapegoating and violating the rights of migrants and refugees, putting them in danger. We will continue to oppose these bills with all the energy and resources we have. On top of that, there are several other issues we continue to work on.

Your support will allow us to continue our work of defending civil liberties in Canada from the negative impact of anti-terrorism and national security laws and actions, including by:

  • Protecting our privacy from government surveillance, including facial recognition, and from attempts to weaken encryption, along with advocating for good privacy law reform
  • Addressing the lack of regulation on the use of AI in national security
  • Advocating for restrictions on Canadian information sharing with the US, including the application of the US No Fly List in Canada
  • Campaigning for the repeal of secretive and rights violating national security lists, such as the Terrorist Entities List and the Canadian No Fly List
  • Halting the rapid expansion of new security measures at the border and continuing to push back against the false narrative depicting migrants and refugees as security risks, and advocating for rights protection and accountability for border agencies, including by monitoring the creation of a new CBSA and RCMP watchdog agency
  • Advocating with lawmakers and officials to protect civil liberties from the overall negative impact of national security
  • Opposing the escalating repression of free expression, dissent and protest in the name of “countering terrorism,” including the crackdown on protests in support of Palestinian human rights and against the genocide in Gaza. This includes countering new “bubble zone” and anti-protests laws at the municipal and federal levels
  • Fighting for Justice for Mohamed Harkat, an end to security certificates, and addressing problems in security inadmissibility
  • Fighting for Justice for Hassan Diab and reforming Canada’s extradition law
  • Addressing the impacts of measures to counter terrorism financing on civil society groups, including the CRA’s targeting of Muslim-led charities and restrictions and criminalization of the provision of international assistance and humanitarian aid
  • Calling for the return of Canadian citizens and the non-Canadian mothers of Canadian children, who remain indefinitely detained in Syrian camps
  • Pushing for restrictions on the implementation of new foreign interference laws
  • Keeping you and our member organizations informed via the News Digest

And much more!

If you think our work is important, please support the ICLMG!

We do not receive any funding from any federal, provincial or municipal governments or political parties so your support is essential to our work.

We are counting on people like you.

Please share widely in your networks via email and on Facebook + Instagram + Bluesky + Twitter

Thank you for your support in protecting civil liberties!

— Xan & Tim

PS: For what we were up to in the first half of 2025, click here!

PPS: For what we’ve been up to since ICLMG was created in 2002, check out our Achievements page!