Anandasangaree rejects shortening metadata retention period in lawful access bill

Public Safety Minister Gary Anandasangaree is rejecting a call to shorten the time electronic service providers would be required to retain digital metadata under a proposed bill intended to help police and spies.

The legislation would allow for regulations requiring service providers to retain metadata — digital traces of a communication, but not the email or text itself — for up to one year.

Critics of the provision say the measure would allow for the capture of private information about ordinary Canadians who have no connection to any crime.

University of Ottawa law professor Michael Geist recently told MPs the stored metadata, including location information, would amount to a comprehensive surveillance map of virtually every Canadian.

He suggested scrapping the provision, or at least limiting the metadata retention period to a maximum of 30 days to meet the investigative needs of authorities.

Anandasangaree said today he believes the government “will hold steady on” the one-year period, indicating the change will not be among forthcoming government amendments to the legislation.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 28, 2026.

By Jim Bronskill | Copyright 2026, The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.