A proposed bill in Canada could make it illegal for businesses, professionals, and charities to accept cash payments exceeding $10,000. This legislation, known as Bill-2, seeks to amend The Proceeds of Crime and Terrorist Financing Act, originally enacted in 2000. If passed, the bill would classify any cash payment, donation, or deposit of $10,000 or more in a single transaction as an offense.

The bill does not differentiate between legal transactions and cash payments. For instance, if a contractor receives multiple cash payments totaling over $10,000, they would be in violation of the law. The Justice Centre for Constitutional Freedoms has expressed concern over this potential legislation, stating, "Restricting the use of cash is a dangerous step towards tyranny and totalitarianism." They argue that the ability to pay in cash is a fundamental right that should be preserved.

The bill also includes a provision that only applies to donations collected by entities involved in soliciting charitable financial donations. This means that many protests, such as those against Israel, which do not operate under registered charities, would be exempt from this cash restriction. Therefore, individuals could still donate large sums of cash to such causes without legal repercussions.

In a separate legislative development, Bill C-2 is under scrutiny for its proposed measures that would allow law enforcement to access user data from internet companies without a warrant. The Conservative Opposition has labeled these measures as "snooping provisions." Shadow immigration minister Michelle Rempel Garner criticized the bill, suggesting it creates a "censorship Voltron" by combining various internet control measures.

Under Bill C-2, law enforcement would only need "reasonable grounds to suspect" that an offense has occurred or will occur to compel internet service providers to disclose user information. This includes names, locations, and pseudonyms of customers. The bill's language indicates that internet companies would receive an "Information Demand" requiring them to comply or face fines.

The scope of this power is broad, applying to any offense under any Act of Parliament, not just border security issues. University of Ottawa internet policy expert Michael Geist has raised alarms about the implications of this bill, noting that Canadian law enforcement has long sought such powers but faced public resistance and legal challenges. He stated, "Bill C-2 overreaches by including measures on internet subscriber data that have nothing to do with border safety or security but raise privacy and civil liberties concerns that are bound to spark opposition."

In other political news, the recent throne speech vote concluded without drama. The NDP announced they would not support the speech, putting the Liberal minority government at risk of a confidence vote. However, the speech was ultimately approved "on division," meaning it passed without dissent in the House of Commons. This outcome allowed the Opposition to avoid a potentially contentious vote that could have led to an election.