Many thanks to Dave Adsett for weighing in on the important subject of Bill C-51 in his editorial of Mar. 20. He has added his voice to the thousands of Canadians who protested last weekend.
The attacks on two soldiers on Canadian soil prompted a knee-jerk response from Stephen Harper’s government in the form of Bills C-44 Protection of Canada from Terrorists Act and C-51, the Anti-terrorism Act, both omnibus bills. These bills will vastly enlarge the powers and scope of our security and intelligence agencies. In addition, Bill C-51 goes so far as to authorize judges to issue warrants for arrests even if in so doing, this may “contravene the Charter” or be “contrary to other Canadian law”. Allowing such a breach of our Constitution is unprecedented and over-reaching and the lack of oversight provisions is alarming. Experts in the legal community question the need for these extraordinary measures. The government, however, is banking on the politics of fear.
In keeping with its track record, the Harper government has not seen fit to invite the very experts who could provide valuable guidance, such as Daniel Therrien, Canada’s Privacy Commissioner (who has been very critical of both bills), the Canadian Bar Association and the Criminal Lawyers Association, among others, to make a submission before the Standing Committee on National Security & Public Safety.
The government’s talking points tell us we need the new legislation to keep us safer. However, the conviction, in the last few days, of the two men who were plotting to derail a VIA rail train make it clear the existing laws are effective.
If we need to tweak the law to make it better, let’s do that. Let’s not, as has been said, use a sledgehammer where a scalpel would do the job.
Once again, the government is limiting debate, suppressing critical views and twisting the truth to push the new measures through as quickly as possible. We should ask ourselves why.
The less well informed citizens are, the easier it is for a government to abuse its powers.
Pat Martin
