Minister Clarifies Mail Search Limited to Police

OTTAWA Public Safety Minister Gary Anandasangaree clarified Wednesday that a new government proposal to search and seize mail items will apply only to police officers and require a warrant, addressing concerns over broader powers initially proposed in a previous bill.

The measure appears in the federal spring economic statement tabled in the House of Commons on Tuesday. Anandasangaree explained that it revives a component from Bill C-2, a border security bill last debated in September 2025 and now stalled at second reading. That original legislation would have authorized government officials, including Canada Post staff, to open and inspect mail. After Bill C-2 was divided into smaller bills, the mail search provision was reintroduced in the economic update.

The proposal targets a legal gap that bars authorities from opening packages weighing less than 500 grams. Anandasangaree said traffickers exploit this loophole to mail small quantities of drugs, including fentanyl, often to remote areas. "So when we look at Nunavut as an example, there's 25 plus fly-in communities. There's really no road access. So smaller quantities of drugs can go through the post office without any...