tl;dr: Canada quietly signed the UN Convention against Cybercrime, reversing its earlier opposition and no-show at the 2024 signing ceremony, without public consultation or explanation. Critics warn the treaty is less a cybercrime framework than a broad cross-border surveillance and evidence-sharing pact—originally a Russian initiative—that could enable transnational repression, criminalize security research, and force real-time interception without robust judicial safeguards. The signing may be tied to Canada's domestic lawful access agenda (Bill C-22), since ratification would require expanded production orders and data-sharing powers.