Uncle Sam Wants Your Data [Bill C-42]

(Montreal Gazette – Kevin Dougherty)

Washington would control who boards Canadian flights over U.S.

The Harper government has quietly presented a bill in the House of Commons that would give U.S. officials final say over who may board aircraft in Canada if they are to fly over the United States en route to a third country.

“Canadian sovereignty has gone right out the window,” Liberal transport critic Joe Volpe told The Gazette in recent telephone interview. “You are going to be subject to American law.”

Bill C-42 amends Canada’s Aeronautics Act to allow airlines to communicate passenger information to “a foreign state” for flights over that country without landing. At present, airlines are only required to give passenger information to the U.S. government on flights landing in the United States. Read more here.