On June 3, 2025, the Liberal government brought forward their proposed Bill C-2, the Strong Borders Act. This 16 part omnibus bill includes multiple goals focused on strengthening Canadian and United States border security measures with a focus on transnational crime, fentanyl flow across the border, and money laundering.
Critics such as the Canadian Civil Liberties Association, have called for a withdrawal of the bill, stating that it is a “multipronged assault on…basic human rights and freedoms.”
The bill would bypass authorities’ legal requirement for a warrant when collecting information from service providers during investigative measures surrounding border security. Some immigration experts have called it anti-immigration and anti-refugee because of the proposed changes to the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act.
The bill also allows authorities to make immediate changes to immigration documents and applications and alter the timeline of a refugee’s ability to claim asylum in Canada.
Federal officials defend the bill, claiming that it is Charter compliant and is needed to keep pace with the changing crime landscape, enabling authorities to respond quickly in urgent circumstances. Lena Metlege Diab, minister of immigration, refugees and citizenship, also defended the bill, claiming that it will help manage the large number of applications they receive.
Darien Johnsen is a UFV alumni who obtained her Bachelor of Arts degree with double extended minors in Global Development Studies and Sociology in 2020. She started writing for The Cascade in 2018, taking on the role of features editor shortly after. She’s passionate about justice, sustainable development, and education.