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“It’s too intrusive as it currently stands and does need to be looked at. There’s a lot of concern, I think, across the country,” he said. “It’ll go to committee and we haven’t had a frank discussion on it yet in caucus, so that will come.”

Facing questions Wednesday from interim NDP leader Nycole Turmel about “giving themselves the right to snoop in everybody’s computer,” Harper wouldn’t commit to tabling amendments to the bill but hinted the government is open to amendments.

“We’ve been very clear. We’re working with provinces and with police to attack problems of online pornography, child pornography, but of course we will ensure that Parliament fully studies this bill and that private life is also protected in this regard,” Harper said during question period.

“We want to fix our laws while striking the right balance when it comes to privacy. We will send this legislation directly to committee for a full and wide ranging examination of the best way to do what is right for our children,” added Public Safety Minister Vic Toews in a more tempered response to questions from the opposition.

When pressed further by the Liberals during Question Period, Toews said that: “we will entertain amendments.”

When Toews tabled the bill Tuesday, it was called the Lawful Access Act, but that version was quickly withdrawn and replaced with the Protecting Children from Internet Predators Act.

The name change followed a remark made Monday by Toews, who said a critic of the bill “can either stand with us or with the child pornographers.”