Anti-Terror Laws To Increase Police Powers (Canada's example for us)

OTTAWA - The federal government has introduced new anti-terrorism legislation aimed at giving police more authority to crack down on terrorists and cut off fundraising for suspected terrorist groups.

Justice Minister Anne McLellan made the announcement on Monday in the House of Commons. The bill defines acts of terrorism domestically as those which threaten Canada's political institutions, the stability of the economy and the general welfare of the country.

McLellan said the bill had three main objectives:
suppress existing terrorist groups, provide police with new investigative tools, and toughen prison sentences for terrorists.

"We believe that people everywhere are entitled to live in peace and security," McLellan said, adding it's up to the government to ensure that. "We've kept individual rights of Canadians in mind while developing this legislation," she said.

The Liberals hope that in light of the Sept. 11 terror attacks in the U.S., the legislation will be passed in as little as a month.

Canadian Alliance MP Vic Toews offered his party's full support to the government.

But he also criticized the Liberals for rejecting his party's earlier attempts to create this type of legislation, prior to the Sept. 11 terror attacks in the U.S.

PC-DR Coalition MP Peter MacKay gave tentative support to what he called "lofty, but extremely important" legislation.

Bloc Québécois MP Michel Bellehumeur says the party supports the new bill, and urged the government to make Canada an example to other nations by passing effective anti-terrorism legislation.

But New Democratic Party MP Bill Blaikie echoed leader Alexa McDonough's hesitation in offering blanket support for the bill.

Blaikie said the NDP wants to be sure that the right to peaceful dissent is not removed, or even limited.

He said the NDP will reserve final judgment until it gets input from various organizations across the country.

and the general welfare of the country.

Thats pretty vague

Allow for the arrest of individuals without warrant if it's believed that would prevent terrorist activity

Who is to define what terrorist activity IS?

Remember those protestors that got pepper sprayed by the RCMP? When all those world leaders met behind closed doors? Those people will be called terrorists.

I think you had one of those little scuffles in Seattle. Next time just call them terrorists and arrest the lot.

When they all meet outside Calgary next year again, and the protestors show up again, they will just be jailed, pre-emptively, of course. Ralph Klien won't have to deal with protestors marring his rubbing elbows with the elite in Kanaskis country.

Next time the nurses go out on an illegal strike, because it's been 5 or 10 years without a raise, they will be called terrorists.

But, the Canadian government writes lots and lots of laws. The funny part, is they don't put any funding behind it. All bark, but no money. This is all just a show for you, the American viewer. Thanks for tuning in.

May as well post this too.. You think American media is bad? Try finding just one article published after January 2001, that tells you where the current state of our new made-in-Canada gun control program is. A billion dollars or so spent, and not even half of the guns are registered. Those that registered, still haven't got their final paperwork back. The computer system is apparently not working well, and the program is understaffed.

A giant flop, but not a peep, a squeak from the media, or the government.

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