Ottawa's plans to provide police with new powers to access information about the online activities of Canadians "goes a little too far," says P.E.I.'s privacy commissioner.

P.E.I. privacy commissioner Maria MacDonald would like to see some changes to the act. (Pat Martel/CBC)

Bill C-30 would allow police to access electronic communications and personal data without a warrant. The federal government says the legislation would help authorities take down child pornography rings and organized crime.

As a check on the new police powers, Ottawa says the bill would allow privacy commissioners in each province to prevent abuses. But P.E.I. privacy commissioner Maria MacDonald says she has no authority over the police.

"The municipalities and the police are not included in our Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act," said MacDonald.

"We're going to fall a bit through the cracks on those oversight provisions, as they are written now."

MacDonald said she understands Ottawa's intent, and that police face significant challenges when dealing with criminal activity online.

"I do appreciate that there are very smart criminals," she said, "but just the way they have it now, in my opinion it goes a little too far."

MacDonald sent a letter to the federal government last year outlining her concerns when the federal government introduced a similar bill that failed to pass.

MacDonald said she will be resending that letter.