Secure Canada’s Future: Adopt a Federal Secure Coding Policy for All Government Software
Canada’s digital software is critical infrastructure. It runs our country, and we depend upon it. Let's protect it with a secure coding policy, now.
Every line of code that powers Canada’s public services—our healthcare systems, immigration portals, tax filing systems, and critical communications—must be held to the highest standards of security. Right now, Canada has no federally mandated secure coding policy for the software we rely on every day.
From ransomware to state-sponsored hacking, insecure code is a national threat. Our government software is critical infrastructure, and must be treated as such.
I am calling on the Government of Canada to formally adopt the linked Secure Coding Policy (or an equivalent or stricter policy) for all government software development and deployment. This policy includes clear, practical, and modern guidance to defend against the real-world threats we face online.
This is not just about IT. It's about defending our sovereignty, public trust, and national safety. We cannot protect our democracy with insecure code.
What You Can Do
- Sign this petition to show your support.
- Help me gain the attention of Members of Parliament.
- Call your Member of Parliament or write them using this template.
- When we reach our goal, I will take this to Ottawa to sponsor a formal House of Commons petition — your signature will help us get there.
What's Attached
- A ready-to-use, language-agnostic Secure Coding Policy, built from real-world experience and security best practices.
- This is your opportunity to ask your government to do the right thing before another preventable cyber disaster happens.
Sign now to protect Canada’s software and secure our digital future.
Updates
Reached 100 supporters
September 22, 2025
32 Comments
I fully support this. The mention of healthcare systems and PHI is key. Insecure code in these critical areas is a direct threat to patient privacy and safety. This looks to be a it's national necessity. This policy must be adopted immediately to ensure our most sensitive data is protected by the highest standards
Security needs to be included in the beginning, challenges arise later when not considered earlier in SDLC.
I am sure that government procurement has quality-based standards for other areas... why not for the security of software, which is a quality issue?
Securing the code that builds our systems helps to protect sensitive citizen and government data from exposure or unwanted changes. Policy set by our federal partners helps Provincial entities more easily adopt common frameworks and methods. Please consider this a big improvement to security policy for the public service!
It’s seems ludicrous to me that we don’t have a minimum bar for a secure coding policy that all federal systems could adopt across the gc, regardless if it’s built in-house or contracted out. This is a good starting point, especially as we rush to implement huge infrastructure projects in the coming years.
Awesome
The risk and liability of lack coding standards to protect canadian govt infrastructure and data is profound.
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Secure Canada’s Future: Adopt a Federal Secure Coding Policy for All Government Software
Canada’s digital software is critical infrastructure. It runs our country, and we depend upon it. Let's protect it with a secure coding policy, now.
Every line of code that powers Canada’s public services—our healthcare systems, immigration portals, tax filing systems, and critical communications—must be held to the highest standards of security. Right now, Canada has no federally mandated secure coding policy for the software we rely on every day.
From ransomware to state-sponsored hacking, insecure code is a national threat. Our government software is critical infrastructure, and must be treated as such.
I am calling on the Government of Canada to formally adopt the linked Secure Coding Policy (or an equivalent or stricter policy) for all government software development and deployment. This policy includes clear, practical, and modern guidance to defend against the real-world threats we face online.
This is not just about IT. It's about defending our sovereignty, public trust, and national safety. We cannot protect our democracy with insecure code.
What You Can Do
- Sign this petition to show your support.
- Help me gain the attention of Members of Parliament.
- Call your Member of Parliament or write them using this template.
- When we reach our goal, I will take this to Ottawa to sponsor a formal House of Commons petition — your signature will help us get there.
What's Attached
- A ready-to-use, language-agnostic Secure Coding Policy, built from real-world experience and security best practices.
- This is your opportunity to ask your government to do the right thing before another preventable cyber disaster happens.
Sign now to protect Canada’s software and secure our digital future.
Updates
Reached 100 supporters
September 22, 2025
32 Comments
As cyber threats keep ramping up, Canada has a real chance to stand out by making secure coding a federal standard. Requiring secure development practices across government systems would protect our critical infrastructure, save us from expensive breaches, and show citizens they can trust digital services. It's a smart move that puts Canada ahead of the curve on cybersecurity and gives our tech companies an edge in global markets where secure coding is becoming the norm.
I fully support this. The mention of healthcare systems and PHI is key. Insecure code in these critical areas is a direct threat to patient privacy and safety. This looks to be a it's national necessity. This policy must be adopted immediately to ensure our most sensitive data is protected by the highest standards
Security needs to be included in the beginning, challenges arise later when not considered earlier in SDLC.
I am sure that government procurement has quality-based standards for other areas... why not for the security of software, which is a quality issue?
Securing the code that builds our systems helps to protect sensitive citizen and government data from exposure or unwanted changes. Policy set by our federal partners helps Provincial entities more easily adopt common frameworks and methods. Please consider this a big improvement to security policy for the public service!
It’s seems ludicrous to me that we don’t have a minimum bar for a secure coding policy that all federal systems could adopt across the gc, regardless if it’s built in-house or contracted out. This is a good starting point, especially as we rush to implement huge infrastructure projects in the coming years.
Awesome
The risk and liability of lack coding standards to protect canadian govt infrastructure and data is profound.
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As cyber threats keep ramping up, Canada has a real chance to stand out by making secure coding a federal standard. Requiring secure development practices across government systems would protect our critical infrastructure, save us from expensive breaches, and show citizens they can trust digital services. It's a smart move that puts Canada ahead of the curve on cybersecurity and gives our tech companies an edge in global markets where secure coding is becoming the norm.