NEW NATIONAL SECURITY LAW PASSED

   The bill — which, after two years, passed through both houses of Parliament this week — gives Canada's signals intelligence agency new powers, although most of its new authority will come into force down the road.
   Once the prime minister and cabinet issue an order, the Communications Security Establishment will be permitted under C-59 to launch cyberattacks (also called "active cyber operations") for the first time in Canadian history.
   "Once again, Canadian lawmakers have failed to act to ensure that national security laws do not come at the cost of privacy, free expression, due process and government transparency," said Tim McSorley, national co-ordinator of the Ottawa-based International Civil Liberties Monitoring Group.