plummeted to 33 per cent. Importantly, the Canadian Civil Liberties Association revealed, “Although we asked the government repeatedly, not once did we receive specifics on how any part of C-51 could have prevented the attacks of 2014, or on why pre-existing legislation was insufficient to protect us.” There were already 14 “anti-terror” provisions in the Canadian Criminal code before C-51. Oversight, Amendments, Consultation – Aren’t These a Step Forward? We have detailed at length in the pages of Fire This Time the specific limitations and failures of each of the proposed Liberal initiatives in regards to Bill C-51. How the experience of countries like the US and UK demonstrate that a parliamentary oversight committee guarantees nothing, how potential Liberal amendments would still leave in place huge human rights violations and how the public consultation has yet to be defined and will surely have nothing in place obligating the government to follow through with anything they have heard. The list goes on. But the most important thing to focus on is: Why do we need to discuss these things in the first place? The government on Canada, under both the Conservatives and the Liberals, has yet to make a real case for why Bill C-51 needs to exist. The CCLA outlined how the Conservatives failed and/ or refused to explain how Bill C-51 makes anyone anywhere any safer. The Liberals have also refused to try and convince people of the public safety necessity of Bill C-51. So what’s the basis for taking away our rights? We can’t forget that the Conservatives also made some amendments to Bill C-51 to try and confuse and derail the movement against it. The move failed because people understood that the 62 page law had nothing to do with national security and
public safety and everything to do with political opportunism and silencing dissent. The Liberals have not done any better. These initiatives are all like someone trying to sell you a broken-down house by promising to put on a nice looking coat of paint and do some yardwork. It doesn’t change the fact that the foundation is rotten and unlivable. What’s a Life Without Human Rights? On May 24, a Federal Court judge found the Canadian government’s designation of Mahmoud Jaballah as a threat to national security unreasonable, and ordered that the security certificate against him should be removed. This is the third time a court has ruled in his favour. For 16 years Mr. Jaballah has been alternately imprisoned in maximum-security settings, put in solitary confinement, put under house arrest, spied on and separated from his family. Under “security certificates”, the Canadian government can detain and deport permanent residents or foreign nationals considered to be a security threat using secret evidence that the accused is not allowed to see. Four other Muslim men known as “the Secret Trial 5” have all undergone the same horror as well None have been convicted of any terrorismrelated charges. All were detained under Liberal governments and their conditions were continued under Conservative ones.
injustice and rights violations will we hear about years after its too late. How many will we not hear about because they were blanketed in secrecy? The Way Forward It’s possible that the Liberals will continue to delay and side-step the issue of Bill C-51. It looks more likely that they will feel obligated to move on their promises in an attempt to slow down opposition. Either way, our job remains the same: Continue to take public action demanding the immediate repeal of Bill C-51, and continuing to explain to people why anything less would be a travesty against our human rights. The Working Group to Stop Bill C-51 has organized 65 consecutive weekly actions in Vancouver against Bill C-51, and will continue to organize until the law is scrapped in its entirety. Groups and individuals around Canada know that we have huge public backing against Bill C-51 and must continue to organize to, “REPEAL BILL C-51 NOW!”
Follow Thomas Davies on Twitter: @thomasdavies59
Sixteen years of intense injustice in the name of “national security”. There is no apology that will give Mr. Jaballah those years back, that can compensate for the time without family and freedoms. Under Bill C-51’s massive new scope how many more stories of FIRE THIS TIME
Vo l u m e 1 0 I s s u e 6 - J u n e 2 0 1 6
5