Federal government to introduce privacy and water-safety bills
Ottawa is moving on long-promised updates to privacy law and First Nations water infrastructure as Parliament winds down.
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The federal government will introduce two major bills this week in the final days of the current Parliamentary sitting: one overhauling Canada's private-sector privacy law, the other ensuring First Nations have access to clean drinking water.
The privacy bill marks the third attempt to update the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act. Previous versions introduced in 2020 and 2023 did not become law. This version is expected to include protections for children's data and measures preventing Canadians' data from being used for surveillance pricing.
The water bill addresses infrastructure on First Nation lands. A similar bill was introduced in 2023 but died when the last federal election was called.
These moves come as Parliament prepares to adjourn, with both pieces of legislation considered overdue by advocates who have pressed the government for years on privacy safeguards and Indigenous infrastructure investment.