The Internet advocacy group OpenMedia.ca released a short online documentary today as part of its continued campaign against proposed federal Internet surveillance laws.

Entitled (un)Lawful Access, the 14-minute documentary features nine privacy, surveillance, and journalism experts who discuss the Harper government's proposed cyber-surveillance reforms, commonly known as "Lawful Access" legislation.

These legal changes would allow law enforcement officials to seize the personal information of web users without a warrant, while requiring internet service providers to install surveillance equipment and software on their networks.

"What this is really about is a wider campaign to control the Internet," says David Murakami Wood, Canada Research Chair in Surveillance Studies at Queen's University, who was interviewed for the film.

Other featured experts include Nathalie Desrosiers, Counsel General of the Canadian Civil Liberties Union, and Michael Geist, Canada Research Chair in Internet and E-Commerce Law at the University of Ottawa and frequent contributor to The Tyee.

As reported on The Hook last month, to the surprise of many observers, the government did not pass the lawful access provisions as part of its sweeping criminal law reform package, "The Safe Streets and Communities Act."

But in a press release issued today, OpenMedia.ca warns that "[t]he embattled plan could, however, be tabled in Parliament any day."

The film was created by Joseph Johnson Cami, Justin Saunders, and Kate Milberry.

Ben Christopher reports for The Tyee.