Apple has formally objected to Bill C-22, legislation introduced by Canada’s ruling Liberal Party that, according to the company, could compel makers of phones and other devices to weaken encryption on user data if the bill is enacted.
The bill, proposed by the party that secured a parliamentary majority last month, is currently being debated in the House of Commons. Canadian law enforcement agencies have argued the measure would enable them to identify and investigate security threats earlier and to act more quickly.
Apple framed its opposition around the potential impact on the privacy and security features it provides customers. In a statement, the company warned that, "At a time of rising and pervasive threats from malicious actors seeking access to user information, Bill C-22, as drafted, would undermine our ability to offer the powerful privacy and security features users expect from Apple."
"This legislation could allow the Canadian government to force companies to break encryption by inserting backdoors into their products - something Apple will never do."
The Canadian bill is part of a wider push by governments to expand lawful access to encrypted data. Tech firms contend that such expansions risk weakening security for ordinary users. The bill contains provisions which, depending on their implementation, could resemble a UK data access provision order that British authorities issued to Apple last year.
That UK order prompted Apple to remove a planned feature that would have allowed users to store data in its cloud with end-to-end encryption. U.S. officials later said Britain had dropped that request after concerns were raised by the U.S. director of national intelligence, Tulsi Gabbard, who argued the order might violate a cloud data treaty.
The company and security experts reiterated the definition and role of end-to-end encryption in the debate: it ensures that only the user - not even Apple or law enforcement - can access the protected data without the appropriate key. Services such as Meta Platforms' WhatsApp and Apple's iMessage use end-to-end encryption, which proponents say provides robust protections against spying and cybercrime.
Executives from Meta Platforms were also scheduled to testify at a parliamentary hearing on the bill on Thursday. Public Safety Canada and the U.S. Office of the Director of National Intelligence did not immediately respond to requests for comment on the legislation.
The dispute highlights tensions between law enforcement priorities and technology companies' efforts to maintain strong cryptographic protections for users. The debate over Bill C-22 will continue in the House of Commons as lawmakers consider the trade-offs posed by the proposed legal changes.
Tickers mentioned: AAPL, META