Bill C-51: Political battle lines drawn over anti-terror bil

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Bill C-51: Political battle lines drawn over anti-terror bill as election nears

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Public safety poised to be a key issue in coming federal election campaign

By Chris Hall, CBC News Posted: Feb 19, 2015 5:00 AM ET| Last Updated: Feb 19, 2015 6:40 AM ET

In the war on terror, the political battle lines are now clearly drawn.

NDP Leader Tom Mulcair announced Wednesday that his party will oppose Bill C-51, the Conservative's anti-terrorism law. In doing so, Mulcair puts his party clearly at odds with the government and the third-party Liberals.

"Stephen Harper's new law is sweeping, dangerous, vague and ineffective," Mulcair told reporters before kicking off debate on the bill in the Commons.

"It doesn't do things that are proven to work and puts politics ahead of protecting Canadians. Even when he introduced the legislation, Harper chose a campaign-style event. and made remarks that most regrettably targeted Muslim communities."

With that, Mulcair neatly summarized what’s ahead.

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C-51: Deadline looming for House debate on anti-terror bill

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Time allocation motion expected to be put forward just after 10am ET

By Kady O'Malley, CBC News Posted: Feb 19, 2015 6:24 AM ET| Last Updated: Feb 19, 2015 6:27 AM ET

After just two hours on the floor of the House of Commons, the Conservatives are set to impose a deadline on the first round of debate on its sweeping proposal to expand the powers of Canadian law and intelligence agencies to monitor, track and arrest those suspected of harbouring terrorist sympathies.

Later this morning, Government House Leader Peter Van Loan will put forward a motion to send the bill to a preliminary vote early next week, although it's not yet clear exactly how more days — or hours — will be allocated for debate in the interim.

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Anti-terrorism bill's powers could ensnare protesters, MP fears

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Elizabeth May raises new concerns about expanded powers for Canadian spies proposed in Bill C-51

By Laura Payton, CBC News Posted: Feb 17, 2015 6:21 PM ET| Last Updated: Feb 18, 2015 8:08 AM ET

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QUOTE: ""I think they don't want to address the question of non-violent and illegal civil disobedience. Civil disobedience of all kinds is wide open to falling under this act unless it's amended," said May, who is a lawyer."

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A brief exchange between Prime Minister Stephen Harper and Green Party Leader Elizabeth May did nothing to allay concerns about the broad powers proposed for Canada's spies in the government's anti-terrorism bill, May said Tuesday.

In question period in the House of Commons, May asked how Bill C-51 could be applied to peaceful political protests that fall outside the law.

"Under Bill C-51, the new secret police powers are broad and extensive, but have been said to limit those areas of lawful protest and advocacy," May said to a chorus of heckling by some MPs.

"My question is about those activities that are by definition not lawful but are peaceful, such as when Conservative MPs refuse to fill out the long-gun registry, or when Green Party members blockade Kinder Morgan pipelines. Will non-violent, peaceful activities be exempted from this act?"

Harper responded that the proposed measures are "designed to deal with the promotion and actual execution of terrorist activities, and not other lawful activities."

May said she has a number of concerns with the proposed legislation and wants it scrapped entirely. She's preparing a series of amendments to bring to committee.

"I don't believe that C-51 is even primarily addressing terrorism. The list of activities that might undermine the security of Canada is an unlimited list," May said.

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■Tom Mulcair says NDP will oppose anti-terrorism bill C-51
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QUOTES: "Green Party Leader Elizabeth May is vehemently opposed to the bill and says she'll present amendments, but that the best way to deal with it would be to scrap it. "

"The Liberals simply said 'well we're not going to fight this, we'll change it once we're elected,' well that's not the way to stand up to Stephen Harper's Conservatives." - Justin Trudeau

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