The Justice Centre for Constitutional Freedoms has launched a national petition calling on the federal government to amend Bill C-2 by removing provisions that would criminalize cash payments of $10,000 or more. The petition also urges the government to introduce legislation explicitly protecting the right of Canadians to use cash for legal transactions of any amount.Introduced by Public Safety Minister Gary Anandasangaree on June 3, 2025, Bill C-2 — titled the Strong Borders Act — is aimed at strengthening law enforcement tools to address border security, crime, drug trafficking, and money laundering. However, the Justice Centre says the bill contains buried provisions that pose a serious threat to privacy and civil liberties.According to the group, the bill would make it a criminal offence for businesses, professionals, or charities to accept $10,000 or more in cash in a single or related series of transactions.Justice Centre President John Carpay warned that criminalizing large cash payments could pave the way for more invasive restrictions in the future. “Once $10,000 is criminalized, it will be all too easy for future governments to lower the threshold to $5,000, then $1,000, and eventually nothing,” he said.Carpay described the move as part of a broader anti-cash trend in Canada. He pointed to Quebec’s Bill 54, passed in March 2024, which permits police to seize cash sums of $2,000 or more unless the individual can prove the money is legitimate. “Restricting the use of cash is a dangerous step towards tyranny,” Carpay said. “Cash protects citizens from surveillance by government and banks, credit card companies, and other corporations.”The petition urges Prime Minister Mark Carney to strike the proposed cash transaction limits from Bill C-2 and to introduce laws ensuring Canadians can legally use cash of any amount. The petition is now open for signatures.
