Globe and Mail, COLIN FREEZE
September 10, 2007

Canadian MPs are doing a shameful job of discussing crucial anti-terrorism measures, favouring “simplified, sensationalized and politicized” debates to substantial discussion about powers intended to prevent mass casualty attacks, according to a new research paper to be released today. Legal scholar Kent Roach wrote the paper for the Institute for Research on Public Policy. “Canada was able to avoid that type of poisoned and polarized debate in the immediate aftermath of 9/11,” writes Mr. Roach, a leading authority on the Canada’s security laws. “It’s a shame that it has now emerged in 2007.”

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Ian MacLeod, The Ottawa Citizen. Thursday, September 06, 2007

The federal government is holding firm in ignoring a court ruling that declared a central piece of the Anti-terrorism Act unconstitutional over the requirement that authorities prove terrorism offences are motivated by political and religious causes. The decision to spurn the 2006 Charter ruling of the Superior Court of Ontario, handed down in the case of accused Ottawa terrorist Momin Khawaja, is revealed in the government’s response to the recent recommendations of a Commons’ subcommittee that conducted a mandatory review of the sweeping 2001 anti-terror law.

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Toronto Star, 28 June 2007
Allan Woods

OTTAWA – Canada’s privacy commissioners are urging the government to suspend its controversial no-fly list and make major changes to ensure the protection of sensitive personal information. At a meeting of federal, provincial and territorial privacy commissioners, the group warned that the list could impinge upon individuals’ freedom of association and movement, and that Transport Canada has given no assurances that the names and details on the list will not be shared with foreign governments.

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CanWest, 23 June 2007
Charles Mandel

Eleven Sri Lankans who vanished from a Prince Edward Island mussel farm in the middle of the night may represent a security threat, Malpeque MP Wayne Easter warned Wednesday. “Everyone says they’ve done nothing illegal” Easter said in a phone interview from Ottawa. “Well, no, they haven’t. But I believe there is a certain risk to the country here.”

The 11 men arrived in early May on an eight-month temporary visa to work at Stewart Mussel Farms in Western P.E.I. For a month, they helped out on the mussel boats, working 50-hour weeks side-by-side with islanders. But in the middle of the night on June 8 the Sri Lankans abandoned everything except for the clothing they wore and jumped into two mini-van cabs bound for Ottawa. According to Easter, the men phoned the cab company two weeks in advance and made sure they had enough cash to pay them for the trip. “It was well planned,” Easter said.

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News Release – 16 June 2007

National human and civil rights organizations from across the country are calling on the federal government to immediately  halt the implementation of the Canadian “no-fly list”. The groups say that the program, dubbed “Passenger Protect”, is ripe for abuse and represents an unprecedented assault on the rights of Canadian citizens and residents. The group is also calling on the Standing Committee on Public Safety and National Security to examine the plan and to hear public submissions.

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