Ottawa ready to boost cybersecurity bill, ministers tell MPs | IT World Canada News

TLDR: Two Canadian cabinet ministers have expressed the government’s willingness to make changes to its proposed cybersecurity legislation for critical infrastructure providers in order to strengthen the bill. Industry Minister François-Philippe Champagne and Public Safety Minister Dominic LeBlanc made this commitment during a parliamentary committee hearing on Bill C-26, which affects sectors such as telecommunications, finance, transport, and energy. The ministers did not specify the changes they are open to making but emphasized the urgency of taking action to protect critical infrastructure from cyber threats. Some critics of the bill have called for clearer definitions of the government’s powers, requirements for consultation with experts, and protection of personal information shared with government agencies. Conservative MP Doug Shipley described the bill as “poorly drafted” and lacking oversight and reporting mechanisms. The proposed legislation consists of two parts: amendments to the Telecommunications Act, giving the government power to order designated telecom providers to secure their systems, and the Critical Cyber Systems Protection Act, which applies to other federally regulated critical infrastructure providers.