Law, Privacy and Surveillance in Canada in the Post-Snowden Era

Years of surveillance-related leaks from US whistleblower Edward Snowden have fuelled an international debate on privacy, spying, and Internet surveillance. Much of the focus has centered on the role of the US National Security Agency, yet there is an important Canadian side to the story. The Communications Security Establishment, the Canadian counterpart to the NSA, has played an active role in surveillance activities both at home and abroad, raising a host of challenging legal and policy questions.

With contributions by leading experts in the field, Law, Privacy and Surveillance in Canada in the Post-Snowden Era is the right book at the right time: From the effectiveness of accountability and oversight programs to the legal issues raised by metadata collection to the privacy challenges surrounding new technologies, this book explores current issues torn from the headlines with a uniquely Canadian perspective.

Michael Geist is Professor of Law at the University of Ottawa where he holds the Canada Research Chair in Internet and E-commerce Law. Professor Geist is a frequent commentator on privacy and intellectual property law issues and a syndicated columnist on technology law issues with a regular column appearing in the Toronto Star. He is the editor of The Copyright Pentalogy: How the Supreme Court of Canada Shook the Foundations of Canadian Copyright Law (University of Ottawa Press, 2013), as well as From “Radical Extremism” to “Balanced Copyright”: Canadian Copyright and the Digital Agenda (Irwin Law, 2010) and In the Public Interest: The Future of Canadian Copyright Law (Irwin Law, 2005). Professor Geist has won numerous awards for his work including the Kroeger Award for Policy Leadership and the Public Knowledge IP3 Award in 2010, the Les Fowlie Intellectual Freedom Award from the Ontario Library Association in 2009, the Electronic Frontier Foundation’s Pioneer Award in 2008, and Canarie’s IWAY Public Leadership Award for his contribution to the development of the Internet in Canada in 2003.

Michael Geist is Professor of Law at the University of Ottawa where he holds the Canada Research Chair in Internet and E-commerce Law. Professor Geist is a frequent commentator on privacy and intellectual property law issues and a syndicated columnist on technology law issues with a regular column appearing in the Toronto Star. He is the editor of The Copyright Pentalogy: How the Supreme Court of Canada Shook the Foundations of Canadian Copyright Law (University of Ottawa Press, 2013), as well as From “Radical Extremism” to “Balanced Copyright”: Canadian Copyright and the Digital Agenda (Irwin Law, 2010) and In the Public Interest: The Future of Canadian Copyright Law (Irwin Law, 2005). Professor Geist has won numerous awards for his work including the Kroeger Award for Policy Leadership and the Public Knowledge IP3 Award in 2010, the Les Fowlie Intellectual Freedom Award from the Ontario Library Association in 2009, the Electronic Frontier Foundation’s Pioneer Award in 2008, and Canarie’s IWAY Public Leadership Award for his contribution to the development of the Internet in Canada in 2003.