Gary Anandasangaree
Scarborough—Guildwood—Rouge Park, Ontario · Liberal · Canada
“Mr. Speaker, our government has always been committed to the safety and security of all Canadians. Any form of violence, intimidation or transnational repression targeting individuals and communities in Canada is unacceptable and punishable under Canadian law. We are taking action to protect Canadians.”
“Mr. Speaker, this is not how legislation works. We have put forward a comprehensive piece of legislation. We have consulted with a range of stakeholders, including law enforcement. Parts 1 and 2 go hand in hand. We cannot cherry-pick which parts of the act go into effect.”
“Mr. Speaker, the misinformation on firearms continues. Over 140,000 individual firearms have been declared by owners, as well as businesses. We are in the process of collecting them. We have invested in law enforcement. We are hiring 1,000 new RCMP personnel and 1,000 new CBSA officers.”
“Mr. Speaker, several weeks ago, this House, as well as the Senate, passed a motion declaring Anton Boegman as the commissioner for the transparency registry. We are working toward the establishment of the regulations, and the commission will be up and running in the upcoming weeks.”
“Mr. Speaker, the misinformation, sadly, continues on firearms. As members are aware, over 140,000 firearms have been declared by individual Canadians as well as businesses. We are in the process of collecting those firearms. What I will— Some hon. members: Oh, oh!”
“Mr. Speaker, as I have indicated before, we are deeply heartbroken that Constable Marc Pinizzotto of the Toronto Police Service and Constable Tarun Bali of the Ontario police service were killed in the line of duty last week.”
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“Madam Speaker, there is a clear difference. On this side of the House, we believe in the safety and security of Canadians, and making sure that lethal weapons are off our streets. On the opposite side, they are about bringing forward American-style gun laws, essentially enabling AR—”
“Madam Speaker, I would like to note that there are 19,000 legal firearms that could be used for hunting and farming. An hon. member: Oh, oh! Hon. Gary Anandasangaree (Minister of Public Safety, Lib.): Madam Speaker, we have prohibited 2,500 firearms, lethal firearms, such as AR-15s, which are used for mass casualty events—”
“Mr. Speaker, there are over 19,000 makes and models of guns that are legally available in Canada that people can use for hunting and other sporting activities. What is important is that we are taking lethal weapons off our streets, weapons that have been used in mass killings and weapons that have no place in Canada, including AR-15s, which have been directly linked to mass casualty events over the last 35 years.”
“Madam Speaker, to have a serious conversation about crime, we need to have a serious conversation about guns. As of this week, we have launched the program in Cape Breton, where we are compensating lawful gun owners who are willing to forgo their AR-15 or other harmful weapons. In addition to that, we are securing the border with $1.3 billion in investments. We have Bill C-2 right in front of the House, which the party opposite, if it is serious about gun crime, can support and pass through the House. We are looking—”
“Madam Speaker, I want to take this opportunity to talk about our compensation program, which launched this week. As members know, Cape Breton is where we will launch the pilot of this program. People can register starting on October 1. We are making sure that those prohibited weapons are off our streets, but at the same time, we will be ensuring that law-abiding gun owners are able to get fair compensation for turning in or deactivating their prohibited weapons.”
“Madam Speaker, it is important to recognize that this bill would not impact or impose conditions on SMEs. It is much more for bigger telecommunications companies, transportation companies and critical infrastructure across Canada that are quite large enterprises. They are not small businesses per se. In fact, the work we do protecting and ensuring cybersecurity is to protect and support small businesses, at its core.”
“Madam Speaker, as this bill goes through the parliamentary process, whether here, at committee or in the other place, we will of course welcome the opportunity to discuss additional measures we need to take. Bill C-8 was introduced in the form that was completed when Bill C-26 went through all the processes. This is just a continuation of that process. I believe that we have incorporated all the proposals from the previous version of this bill, but we look forward to having a robust discussion at committee.”
“This is a bill to ensure that businesses, such as the business my friend opposite used to run in her riding, could continue to work without disruptions in the banking or telecommunications sector, for example, or from loss of hydro. It is so that small businesses would not be impacted whatsoever at times when there may be incidents of cyber-attacks.”
“Madam Speaker, I want to thank my colleague, who has returned to Parliament. I am very excited to work with her again in her capacity as a member. I want to highlight that there are a number of provisions in the bill that would ensure the security of privacy information in the course of this bill's implementation. For example, the personal, confidential information of individuals or businesses could not be shared. It would need to be shared in the context of ensuring the security and safety of critical infrastructure and for no other purpose. We have done a fair bit of work to ensure that privacy rights are protected. Of course, in anything we do, we are still governed by the Charter of Rights and Freedoms, which protects Canadians against breaches where their individual information may be shared.”
“Madam Speaker, the predecessor bill to Bill C-8 was Bill C-26 . A lot of work went into ensuring that it is the best bill we can bring forward. A number of changes were made. As members will recall, Bill C-26 was almost completed in the previous session. Having said that, we are always open to ensuring the bill is strengthened. The privacy rights of Canadians are essential to the government. We are governed by the Charter of Rights and Freedoms. We will ensure that we work closely and in collaboration with opposition parties to strengthen and pass this bill.”
“Madam Speaker, I would argue that Bill C-8 would in fact help small businesses. If members recall, this is about securing critical infrastructure, whether it is in telecommunications, transportation, finance or other critical infrastructure. For example, if the banking system were to be taken down or was off-line for several days or even hours, it could severely impact the ability of small businesses to do their job. The telecommunications infrastructure is an example. If someone were to try to pay through the Interac system, but it was down because of a cyber-attack, this bill would ensure small businesses are protected. This bill is meant to ensure that critical infrastructure, which is important for the operation of small businesses, is protected. This is what Bill C-8 would do.”
“This legislation would protect Canadians, businesses and the cyber systems they depend on well into the future so they can continue to work and live their lives comfortably and securely, safe in the knowledge that their government is doing all it can to ensure we have reliable and secure services and systems. [ Translation ] Our government's top priority will always be to keep Canadians safe. [ English ] That is exactly what Bill C-8 would help us do.”
“This is a crucial piece of legislation to make sure our defences meet the moment, in order to protect our national security and our economy. It would demonstrate that we are a capable and sovereign ally and position our country as a global leader in cybersecurity, ensuring that Canada remains secure, competitive and connected. Our government knows that, more than ever, secure and reliable connectivity is a necessity for our daily lives and our collective safety and security. As lawmakers, we have the power, through the passage of Bill C-8 , to ensure that Canadians and businesses continue to thrive in the digital economy and that their banks and telecommunications providers continue to provide them with reliable service. (1020) Cybersecurity is national security.”
“[ English ] Successful cyber-incidents have severe, lasting and alarming consequences for every entity impacted but most of all for the economic and mental well-being of individuals whose lives are disrupted and whose data is compromised. Nowadays, our cyber systems are understandably complex and increasingly interdependent with other critical infrastructure. This means the consequences of security breaches are far-reaching. This malicious threat activity has the potential to seriously compromise Canada's national security and public safety, and our economy. Bill C-8 would bring us a much-needed, consistent, cross-sectoral approach to cybersecurity. It would allow our government and industry to do more to prepare for and prevent debilitating cyber-incidents when and if they occur.”
“It would also provide further reassurances to Canadians that their privacy and personal information will be protected. I hope my fellow parliamentarians will agree that Bill C-8 would provide a strong foundation for securing Canada's critical infrastructure against the dynamic and sophisticated threats that are becoming increasingly common and dangerous. In today's world, there is no shortage of bad actors who seek to exploit vulnerabilities in our cyber systems across all of our country and society. Whether it has to do with our financial systems, telecommunications, energy sector or other critical infrastructure, we now live in a world where cyber-threats are commonplace. [ Translation ] By using critical infrastructure, individuals, the government, businesses and owners are all experiencing this new reality every day.”
“When issuing, amending or revoking an order or direction, the Governor in Council would be able to consult governments and industry, recognizing the need to do so in an expedient manner given the urgency of the situation. While the Governor in Council already has checks and balances on their powers, criteria qualifying the government's order-making and direction-making powers are expected to prevent their misuse and improve accountability. In fact, the addition of the reasonableness standard and relevant factors for consideration before issuing an order or direction, such as operational, financial and public safety impacts, would provide the Governor in Council with further clarity and fairness around the use of these new powers. Bill C-8 would provide transparency and accountability to Canadians.”
“Furthermore, annual reports to Parliament would need to include information such as the number of orders or directions that were issued and the number of impacted operators. [ Translation ] Civil liberties groups and industry experts also expressed concerns about the new broader powers granted to the government under former Bill C-26 . [ English ] For example, stakeholders said there was a potential for orders or directions to be issued without the government consulting or considering relevant factors, such as whether reasonable alternatives exist to issuing the order or direction. As a result of these concerns, the bill includes a reasonableness standard and a non-exhaustive list of factors the Governor in Council must first consider before issuing an order or direction.”
“The bill provides assurances to Canadians that directions issued under both part 1 and part 2 of the legislation would not be used to engage in surveillance or to intercept private communications. This responds directly to the concerns we heard from civil liberty groups. (1015) The act also includes provisions to increase the government's transparency and accountability while still balancing the need for confidentiality, quick action and the public's desire for transparency. The bill includes an obligation for the government to notify the National Security and Intelligence Committee of Parliamentarians and the National Security and Intelligence Review Agency within 90 days after an order or direction is made.”
“Among the concerns was a need for more oversight and transparency, as well as the need to ensure that privacy is protected. [ Translation ] Bill C-8 would further protect Canadians' fundamental rights under the Privacy Act. [ English ] While Canadians' privacy is already protected through a number of constitutional and legislative instruments, this legislation would provide greater certainty to Canadians that their privacy and personal information will be protected. It is also now clear that confidential information must continue to be treated as such when it is necessary for it to be shared, and its recipients must similarly be respectful of that confidentiality.”
“This section of Bill C-8 also aims to serve as a model for our provincial, territorial and municipal partners to protect critical cyber-infrastructure in sectors under their respective jurisdictions. It would support all sectors in the prevention of and recovery from a wide range of malicious cyber-activities, including cyber-incidents, cyber-espionage and ransomware. Since the introduction of Bill C-26 , our government has undertaken widespread consultations with a broad range of stakeholders. Among those consulted were provinces, territories and municipalities; critical infrastructure owners and operators; civil liberty organizations; and academia. We listened carefully to the concerns raised during debates on Bill C-26 , as well as those raised at committee discussions of the bill in both the House and the Senate.”
“[ Translation ] That means that the government may not be aware of the threats and may not be able to respond to them. [ English ] When it comes to national security, we cannot rely on the goodwill of industry alone. We must enshrine a more robust cybersecurity framework into law. We heard from witnesses during committee study of Bill C-26 , which was introduced in the last session of Parliament and adopted in the House in June 2024, that mandatory reporting on cybersecurity incidents is essential to protecting our country's national security and critical infrastructure. Mandatory reporting provides the government with increased visibility into the cyber-threat landscape and allows for more accurate and targeted sharing of technical advice and guidance to combat the exploitation of vulnerabilities.”
“However, the Governor in Council may also add new vital services and systems if needed. This part of the bill would provide the tools the government needs to take further action to address a range of vulnerabilities. To do so, designated operators of vital services and systems would be obligated to develop and implement cybersecurity programs, mitigate supply chain and third party risk, and comply with cybersecurity directions. It would also increase the sharing of information on cyber-threats by requiring the reporting of cybersecurity incidents above a certain threshold. Currently, there are no such legal requirements for industry to share information on cyber-incidents and no legal mechanism for the government to compel action in the face of known threats or vulnerabilities.”
“With these changes, the Governor in Council and the Minister of Industry would have the ability to take security-related measures, just as other federal regulators can do in their respective critical infrastructure sectors. These authorities do not just focus on cybersecurity but can equally address situations of human error or climate-based disruptions that can cause a risk of outages to these critical services. (1010) Second, Bill C-8 would introduce the new critical cyber systems protection act, which would legally compel designated operators to protect their critical cyber systems. Currently, the list of vital services and systems is composed of the Canadian telecommunications services, banking systems and other federally regulated industries, such as energy and transportation.”
“Part 1 would amend the Telecommunications Act to enshrine security as a policy objective and bring the security framework regulating the sector in line with those of other critical infrastructure. The amendments to the Telecommunications Act would enable the Governor in Council and the Minister of Industry to direct telecommunications service providers to take specific actions to secure the Canadian telecommunications system. [ Translation ] This change would enable the government to act quickly in an industry where milliseconds make all the difference between security and risk. [ English ] When necessary, this means that Canadian telcos could be prohibited from using products or services from high-risk suppliers, which would prevent these risks from being passed on to users.”
“The high-value data held by these enterprises and governments, including sensitive personal information and financial data, makes them an attractive target for cybercriminals and state-sponsored actors or their proxies. These incidents highlight the ongoing cybersecurity challenges faced by Canadian organizations across various sectors and jurisdictions. We need to act urgently to enhance our preparedness and improve the resilience of our critical infrastructure so that we can tackle these threats head-on before damage is done. [ Translation ] Bill C-8 is essential to achieving this. [ English ] Bill C-8 would help promote increased cybersecurity across four major sectors: finance, telecommunications, energy and transportation.”
“Before this, Pembroke Regional Hospital, in Ontario, experienced service delays and had to cancel certain appointments and procedures because of a cybersecurity incident. Earlier this year, a cyber-incident impacted WestJet, resulting in the theft of personal and travel-related data, though no credit or debit card information was compromised. As we will recall, last week, some airports in Europe were also disrupted because of cyber-threats. [ Translation ] In March 2024, the City of Hamilton in Ontario was hit with a ransomware attack that shut down many of its online services. [ English ] While Hamilton's critical services were not affected, cyber-incidents in municipal networks can lead to dangerous situations if an attack tampers with emergency water and waste-water systems.”
“[ English ] The cyber centre's most recent national cyber-threat assessment found: Canada is confronting an expanding and complex cyber threat landscape with a growing cast of malicious and unpredictable state and non-state cyber threat actors, from cybercriminals to hacktivists, that are targeting our critical infrastructure and endangering our national security. It has also warned that Canada's oil and gas sector is a likely target for disruptions. At one point last year, the CSE said a cyber-actor “had the potential to cause physical damage” to a piece of critical infrastructure in Canada. [ Translation ] The threat is real. [ English ] In July 2025, Colabor Group, a Quebec-based food wholesaler, was affected by a cybersecurity incident that impacted its internal IT systems.”
“Madam Speaker, I thank my colleague. [ English ] Canada's critical infrastructure providers and enterprises are increasingly targeted. It is not just our government that is aware of these threats. The Canadian public is increasingly seeing these threats in headlines. They see that malicious cyber-actors are breaching our country's IT systems, accessing sensitive information and putting lives in danger. They see that cybercriminals are holding our businesses for ransom, and they see that hostile state actors are stealing information and gaining access to systems that are critical to our national security and public safety. [ Translation ] Unfortunately, these threats are spreading around the world.”
“The CSE's cyber centre has warned us of the many risks of cyber-threats, with ransomware at the top of that list. I think all parliamentarians would agree that Canada must be better prepared to deal with these threats to protect Canadians, our critical infrastructure and our economy and to ensure Canada remains secure, competitive and connected. Cyber-threats to Canada are evolving rapidly, increasing in size and technical sophistication every day.”
“This is a part of our history we need to reflect on, and I encourage all Canadians to mark this commemoration in their own way. I want to particularly acknowledge the incredible pain and resilience of indigenous people across this land. [ Translation ] I would like to take this opportunity to remind my colleagues in the House why it is urgent that we pass this bill. [ English ] Right now, Canada is facing unprecedented cyber-threats across all sectors of society. Government, industry, academia and individuals have been targeted by increasingly sophisticated threats, including the malicious use of artificial intelligence. The Communications Security Establishment, or CSE, has said cybercrime is now the most prevalent and pervasive threat to Canadians and Canadian businesses.”
“moved that Bill C-8, An Act respecting cyber security, amending the Telecommunications Act and making consequential amendments to other Acts , be now read a second time and referred to a committee. Bill C-8. Second reading He said: Madam Speaker, I am grateful to speak today to Bill C-8 , an act respecting cyber security, and I want to acknowledge that we are gathered here on the traditional unceded territory of the Anishinabe Algonquin people. Let me also take this opportunity to acknowledge the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation coming up on September 30, also known as Orange Shirt Day. It is a critically important day for Canada. It is a critical day for survivors and the young people who never went home.”
“Mr. Speaker, it is very clear that the number of car thefts is down significantly across Canada. Across Canada, they are down 19% year over year. We have invested $1.3 billion in the border. We have invested in new scanners. We have invested in new equipment that will ensure that items going out of the country are inspected more frequently. We are investing in another 1,000 RCMP officers. We will ensure that the border is more secure than at any other time.”
“Mr. Speaker, last year, the CBSA removed over 18,000 individuals who were ineligible to be in Canada. This year, we are on target to removing over 20,000 people. The work that our frontline border officers do is incredible. I want to thank them for their work. We are going to be adding another 1,000 CBSA officers to ensure that our borders are even safer and more secure than ever.”
“Mr. Speaker, law-abiding citizens abide by the law. We launched a program this week to support law-abiding Canadians in giving up their AR-15s and other prohibited weapons to obtain compensation. It is a fair way to treat law-abiding citizens. It is about ensuring that our streets are safer. It is in line with the work we are doing at the border, with $1.3 billion in investments and Bill C-2 , which is before the House today, as well as adding 1,000 CBSA and RCMP officers.”
“Mr. Speaker, we have a comprehensive plan to address guns. It starts with the buyback program that we launched this week. It is about investing $1.3 billion at our borders to increase scanning capabilities, as well as new tools for law enforcement. It is about hiring 1,000 new CBSA and RCMP officers. It is about Bill C-2 , which is in the House right now. If the party opposite is serious about guns, it should support Bill C-2 's passage and get it to committee.”
“Mr. Speaker, the people playing politics are in the party opposite. They are actually fundraising off our buyback program. This week, I had the chance to launch the program in Cape Breton as a pilot. We look forward to its expansion across Canada. We look forward to Canadians surrendering the over 80,000 AR-15s that are in their possession. We need to take dangerous weapons off our streets, and we will do everything we can to support Canadians in that effort.”
“Mr. Speaker, this year the Canada Border Services Agency will be removing 20,000 people who are not eligible to be here. This is one of the highest numbers in recorded Canadian history. We will continue to strengthen the border. We will continue to remove those who are not eligible to be here. We will also be investing in 1,000 new CBSA officers, along with 1,000 new RCMP officers, to make our border stronger.”
“Mr. Speaker, this year, the Canada Border Service Agency has removed over 20,000 people. That is one of the largest removals of people in Canadian history. CBSA will continue to do its job. We will ensure that we hire another 1,000 new CBSA officers to strengthen the border and ensure enforcement. We will continue to make sure our borders are safe. We will, at the same time, ensure that guns are off our streets.”
“Mr. Speaker, staggering incompetence is when someone thinks that AR-15s can be used for hunting and farming. We have brought forward a very important plan in Nova Scotia. We look forward to expanding it across Canada. We look forward to doing that in the near future. We are going to be investing in 1,000 new RCMP, as well as 1,000 new CBSA officers. We will ensure that our borders are safe and guns are off our streets.”
“Mr. Speaker, I was proud to launch the assault-style firearms compensation program in Nova Scotia. We look forward to expanding it across Canada. It is part of a broader plan to ensure that our guns are off our streets. It includes changes to the Criminal Code. It includes resources at the border, a $1.3-billion investment at the border. Bill C-2 is in the House today. I invite the party opposite to support us so that we can get that through Parliament.”
“Mr. Speaker, the member opposite, I am told, understands weapons and understands firearms. I want to ask him a very simple question. Why do we need AR-15s in our communities? Why do we need them in our neighbourhoods? Why do we need them on our streets? Can the member tell this House why we need that type of weapon on our streets, making it harder and more unsafe for Canadians?”
“Mr. Speaker, I invite this House and the members opposite to have a serious conversation about guns. When we want to talk about crime and when we want to work together to ensure that our streets are safer, it needs to be a serious conversation. It cannot be hyperbole. What we have announced today would take, from our streets, weapons that should not be in possession of Canadians, which include AR-15s. They are lethal; they can destroy people. This is why we brought forward this plan. We are starting in Cape Breton. We are going to be expanding it across Canada. I invite members opposite to support this.”
“Mr. Speaker, I appreciate another opportunity to talk about the compensation program that I launched at 12:30 today, along with many of my colleagues, including the Secretary of State for Nature . We have heard in this House about the enormous work that she has done for decades in advocating for this moment. Survivors across Canada have asked for this. It is important that we get weapons such as AR-15s off our streets. That is exactly what we have done. We will be expanding this from Cape Breton to across Canada over the next five to seven weeks.”
“Mr. Speaker, the Canada Border Services Agency has been working very hard, not just through the summer, but over the last several years, to ensure that our borders are stronger than ever. This year we are on target to have more than 20,000 removals of those who are not eligible to be in this country. That number is accelerating by the month. This is the type of work that our exceptional front service officers are doing. This is the type of investment that we will be adding to this year, including adding 1,000 new CBSA officers.”
“Mr. Speaker, this year we are on target to remove over 20,000 individuals who do not meet the requirements to be in Canada. That will be a record level of removals for Canadian history. We are working toward ensuring that this is accelerated even further. The addition of another 1,000 CBSA officers will help this process. We will continue to make sure that Canada and our border are safe. That is exactly what we have been working on. We will continue to invest in Canadians.”
“Mr. Speaker, we look forward to welcoming 1,000 new RCMP and 1,000 new CBSA officers to the ranks of our frontline public service. I was in Regina, speaking at the RCMP training facilities. They are getting prepared to train the 1,000 new RCMP officers we will be onboarding over the next several years. It is important that we continue to invest in law enforcement. That is exactly what the Prime Minister committed to. That is exactly what we will be doing.”
“Mr. Speaker, we made a promise in the last election. On April 28, Canadians gave us a mandate, and we are fulfilling that promise this afternoon. We have launched a compensation program where, in Cape Breton as a starting point, we were piloting the ability for individual owners who have prohibited firearms to turn them in to law enforcement. They will collect them; they will inspect them and then advise on the compensation. This will spread across Canada in the coming weeks. I look forward to the support from the member opposite, who is really—”
“Mr. Speaker, I do want to caution the member that he should really tread lightly in the language he is using, describing the particular group that he is concerned about. It is borderline racism, and I do caution him to take note of his language. Let me be very clear. We are investing in our border. We have already invested $1.3 billion in securing our border. We are hiring 1,000 new RCMP officers, and we are also hiring 1,000 new CBSA officers. We will ensure that our borders are safe and secure.”
“Mr. Speaker, I realize that the member opposite who just asked the question is a lawyer, and I know that he knows defamation law. I invite him to say the exact same words outside the House. What I will say is that we have launched a program today that will ensure the safety and security of Canadians. We will compensate those who are willing to bring forward their prohibited weapons and collect remuneration for them. We will ensure that we have greater bail reform laws that will keep serious violent criminals off our streets. We can do both.”
“Mr. Speaker, I recognize that the member opposite is a lawyer, and I know he knows what defamation is. I invite him to say the exact same words outside the House. What I will say is that the program we launched today is one that will make our communities safer. It will ensure that guns such as— Some hon. members: Oh, oh!”