Independent Senator and former La Presse editor André Pratte says he’s “very concerned” about recent reports of police surveillance of Montreal journalist Patrick Lagacé.

“I’m very concerned by the fact that not only the police would put up such an operation but also that judges would issue so many warrants on a journalist’s phone and his whereabouts,” the longtime journalist turned senator told iPolitics.

“I think we’re getting used to police getting information from journalists, but we expect that judges would stop them from doing so except in exceptional circumstances. That’s not what happened here, and I find it very worrisome.”

Police had been monitoring Lagacé’s phone calls and location through GPS in his cellphone as part of an internal police probe. At least 24 warrants were issued on Lagacé’s phone.

Pratte said he is personally starting to review existing legislation to learn whether there “would be an opportunity at the moment to introduce amendments” to strengthen laws to protect journalists or personal privacy.

“There have been so many cases recently of that type of surveillance, journalists being followed and so on,” he said. “I think we have to wonder as legislators whether the existing laws are sufficient to protect journalists’ sources.” Pratte also called on other Senators to add to the public outcry.

Federal Privacy Commission Daniel Therrien also told a Commons committee earlier in the day he’s concerned about the case, and said Parliamentarians have a role to play in clarifying for the courts where it’s appropriate to grant those kinds of warrants.

“It may be useful to give the court tools so they’re able to better exercise their power,” Therrien suggested.

Quebec Premier Philippe Couilliard has said his provincial government will review regulations on police monitoring of journalists, and will make it more difficult to grant police warrants to monitor journalists by adding Crown prosecutors to the process. Opposition parties in Quebec are demanding a public inquiry into the matter.