MP’s office becomes place of protest – Canadian march against Bill C–51

March 18, 2015 · 0 Comments

Approximately thirty protesters arrived outside of Federal Conservative David Tilson’s office at 229 Broadway in Orangeville, March 14th, to voice their opposition to Prime Minister Harper’s proposed anti-terrorism Bill C-51. The legislation introduces a wide-range of changes that give police and Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) much broader powers.
The diverse group of concerned citizens included members of social justice groups, farmers, and residents from Mono, Caledon, Mulmur, Orangeville and Amaranth. The group peacefully protested the bill for two hours with their signs and voices, but said they never received any recognition from Mr. Tilson’s office. In a statement to the Free Press MP David Tilson wrote:
“Most of the constituents I have been hearing from have indicated that security is a top priority for them. They tell me to ensure the government does everything it can to protect them and their families. Security and liberty go hand in hand. That is the approach being taken by the government in this legislation. C-51 will provide our intelligence and law enforcement agencies with the required tools and flexibility they need to effectively detect and disrupt national security threats before they happen, keeping Canadians safe. It also provides for judicial oversight to ensure that these tools are used properly.”
However, citizen concerns centre on the very lack of oversight and accountability; the speed at which the bill is being pushed through; and the invasion of private on-line activities. Protestors across the nation expressed concern that innocent individuals could become targets, not unlike the McCarthy era of 1950’s America when infamous “black lists” destroyed the liberty and careers of countless innocents who simply expressed opinions. Supporters of the bill, say it will toughen the no fly list, augment preventative powers to arrest and detain suspected terrorists, and increase information sharing between government agencies making it easier to pin point possible radicals.
Still, across Canada, citizens protesting the bill numbered in the thousands. Over 70 National Day of Action protests were organized from the east to west coasts with rallies taking place outside constituency and ministry offices. A large crowd filled the street outside of the Prime Minister’s office in Ottawa, Green Party Leader Elizabeth May drew hundreds to Nathan Phillip Square in Toronto, hundreds of protesters came out in Quebec with many expressing their concern for their future rights by taping their mouths shut.
Large crowds also gathered in Halifax and Edmonton, and in British Columbia First Nations said they feared their right to voice protests against land developments would be silenced. Demonstrations included rallies against both the Conservatives and the Liberals with Justin Trudeau’s recent announcement to support the bill. Dufferin-Caledon Liberal candidate Ed Crewson calls Justin Trudeau’s support for Bill C51, “a pragmatic decision as outlined in his speech to the University of British Columbia last week.” The New Democratic Party, under Thomas Mulcair has promised to vote against C-51.
Ed Crewson told the Free Press that he understands why protesters are upset:
“Having sat on the Shelburne Police Services Board for 22 years, I understand the importance of civilian oversight of policing. Every municipality has a police services board that provides civilian oversight of policing and so I do not understand why the Harper Conservatives are so opposed to establishing civilian oversight of CSIS and the RCMP, particularly in light of the sweeping new powers being granted under Bill C51. There needs to be accountability to parliament by these police services and a committee which includes Members of Parliament, like a police services board, if properly sworn to secrecy, seems to me, to make sense, so that these new powers are not abused… Justin Trudeau supports civilian oversight of CSIS and the RCMP, and so wants amendments to the bill and will introduce those amendments when he becomes Prime Minister. If elected I will fight to ensure that accountability to a Parliamentary Committee takes place.”
Some demonstrators go so far as to call C-51 a “secret police bill,” saying it infringes on civil liberties. Amnesty International has expressed concern that the bill is too broad, possibly allowing government to stop peaceful protests, not unlike those that took place on March 14th, if protesters do not go through “official channels” to receive government permission to protest. Protesters across the nation express concern that Canadians will become too afraid to oppose government activity for fear of being arrested should the bill pass. Canadian privacy Commissioner Daniel Therrien submitted that the new powers in the bill were “excessive” and the privacy measures “seriously deficient.”
These comments join a long line of criticism, giving rise to protests and signs that say, “We need eyes on our spies.” Whether Conservative Bill C-51 goes too far will be seen in time – perhaps in a more troubled future. At the very least, protesters want Canadians to recognize that there is always a price to pay for “security” and that civil liberties, so ingrained in our national psyche, can easily be eroded by fear.

By Marni Walsh