Harper’s anti-terrorist legislation threatens the rights of all Canadians – Part 2
By Peter Ewart
“A great evil has been descending on our world.” These are ominous words spoken recently by Stephen Harper the Prime Minister of Canada to an audience of Conservative Party supporters, police officers and security officials. He is referring, of course, to the threat of terrorism in Canada, and the fact, according to him, that “we are at war” with the terrorists, a mantra that he has been repeating everywhere in the months leading up to the next federal election.
But, as was raised in Part 1 of this series, how serious is this threat in Canada? Are we, indeed, back in the year 1939 on the eve of the Second World War as his ominous words suggest? Or is the threat of terrorism being magnified for political purposes?
Yes, there were the two separate attacks by crazed individuals on military personnel at the end of last year. But, even the newspaper of the Canadian Establishment, the Globe & Mail, points out that “there is no evidence that either attacker was connected to ISIS. The more likely theory is that they were troubled young men who self-radicalized” (1).
Of course, over the last few years, there have been a few incidents of bumbling plots, such as the Toronto 18 (which had paid police agents involved in a “sting” operation). But does this pose such a grave danger to the country as the Prime Minister claims? After all, as Lawrence Martin of the Globe & Mail writes, “in the last decade or two, you can count the number of deaths from [terrorism] on one hand” (2).
According to RCMP statistics, the number of potential active terrorists in Canada is probably, at best, a few dozen. Haroon Siddiqui of the Toronto Star asks: “How difficult can that be to keep an eye on them and nab them, if necessary?” However, he also points out that with all the deafening thunder about terrorism coming from the federal government “such questions are now rendered moot, just as similar queries were drowned out under [George W.] Bush” (3).
Let’s look at some other statistics. Every year in Canada, literally dozens of people are killed in drug gang violence, including innocent bystanders, such as in the Surrey Six murders in British Columbia. From time to time, mentally unbalanced individuals also go on rampages. A recent example was the eight domestic murders committed by a disturbed family member in Alberta.
And then there is the example of the over 1200 missing and murdered aboriginal women across the country. Asked by CBC’s Peter Mansbridge (in an interview last year) as to why the federal government has not organized an inquiry into this tragedy, Harper stated that “it isn’t really high on our radar.” So why is such a horrendous tragedy inside Canada relegated to such a low priority and other things high? Harper did not explain his insensitive and objectionable remark; nor, unfortunately, did Mansbridge pursue the question any further (4).
For some additional perspective on terrorism in Canada, in 2011, over 2,000 people died in traffic related deaths in Canada, and tens of thousands were seriously injured. One of the hazards that people face in rural and northern Canada is the lack of divided highways. As experts point out, the number of traffic deaths, especially in winter, could be significantly reduced if divided highways were constructed. But, of course, that death toll and carnage is not a priority for governments.
One of the paradoxical things about individual acts of terrorism is that they can have a profound effect on the politics of a country far beyond other types of crime and far beyond their actual physical damage or human cost. In a phrase, they can be subject to extreme magnification by the media and by unscrupulous governments and politicians.
For months now, we have watched as horrific images on television play across the screen of pairs of hostages in orange jump suits wait to be beheaded by ISIS militants shrouded in black clothing. We, quite rightly, have a lot of empathy for these victims. But, because these horrific images are repeatedly flashed before us on all the news channels, a sense builds up in us that perhaps we, too, way over here in Canada are in imminent danger. Even though these tragic events are taking place across the ocean and thousands of kilometres away, the sense is created that terrorists are literally “at the gates” and on the verge of overwhelming the country.
The effect can be so powerful that the political leaders of countries can literally have their fortunes turned around overnight in the wake of terrorist incidents. Before the Charlie Hebdo killings, French president Francoise Hollande was the most unpopular president in France since the Second World War. Within days of the killings, his popularity zoomed upwards from single digits to over 40%, leading the pack of all other politicians in the country. As pollster, Frederic Dabi, comments: “This is a rare phenomenon in the history of opinion polls” (4).
The Encyclopaedia Brittanica defines terrorism as “the systematic use of violence to create a general climate of fear in a population to bring about a particular political objective” (5). Now, governments in the world today may or may not use “systematic violence”, but, unfortunately, more than a few are guilty of fostering “a general climate of fear” in order “to bring about a particular political objective.”
For example, George W. Bush had all the signs of being, at best, a mediocre president until the 9/11 terrorism happened. However, in the wake of 9/11, his popularity soared, despite serious economic woes, the Hurricane Katrina fiasco, and other problems. His popularity was maintained, in large part, by a state of extreme tension that permeated the country, pumped up by frequent colour-coded “terror alerts” flashing across the TV screens of Americans. In a shocking admission after he left office, former U.S. Homeland Security chief Tom Ridge admitted that manipulation took place and that “top aides to then-president George W. Bush pressured him to raise the “terror alert” level to sway the November 2004 U.S. election” (6).
The question needs to be asked: Is Prime Minister Stephen Harper using Bill C-51 and the fear card of terrorism to achieve his “particular political objectives”? Some journalists and politicians think so. After all, the economic outlook for the country, at least for the next year or two, is not good. Oil prices are continuing to plummet, the GDP itself is dipping, and even manufacturing in the country has unexpectedly gone down. Elizabeth May, of the Green Party, says that “with an election coming, it’s clear [Harper] would like it to be fought on the grounds of who do you see as being tough on terrorism, as opposed to the economy or how many people are unemployed” (7).
According to Kristie Smith of iPolitics, Harper has replaced his mantra of “Jobs, Jobs, Jobs” with that of “Jihadism, Jihadism, Jihadism” (8). If so, this is a reflection of the sad and cynical state that Canadian politics has degenerated into. Yes, Mr. Harper, perhaps a “great evil has descended on the country,” but more than a few Canadians would argue that it is your own government.
Unfortunately, as others have pointed out, the federal NDP and Liberals, instead of taking a strong stand in defence of the rights of Canadians, are playing coy and hedging their bets in regards to Harper’s anti-terror legislation (9) (10). This is despite the fact that organizations like the BC Civil Liberties Association and others are seriously alarmed and have characterized this legislation as “an unprecedented expansion of powers that will harm innocent Canadians and not increase our public safety” (11).
Whatever Harper’s motivation may be for this anti-democratic legislation, one thing is clear. The rights of Canadians to freedom of speech, conscience and privacy must not be politicized and criminalized. If federal politicians or governments are so bothered and feel so hampered by these rights, they should resign their office and return to private life.
So, with an out-of-control government and a dysfunctional, weak-kneed opposition in Parliament, what are Canadians to do, whether they be journalists, commentators and posters on websites, or ordinary citizens, all of whom could be targeted or impacted by this legislation in one way or another?
Speak out, speak up, get active, get organized! We must not succumb to the politics of fear. If we don’t defend our rights as Canadians, who will?
This is the final article in this series.
Peter Ewart is a columnist and writer based in Prince George, British Columbia. He can be reached at: peter.ewart@shaw.ca
(1) Editorial. “Parliament must reject Harper’s secret policeman bill.” Globe and Mail. February 1, 2015.
(2) Martin, Lawrence.
(3) Siddiqui, Haroon. “Stephen Harper’s election platform: War on terror.” Toronto Star. February 1, 2015.
(4) Kappo, Tanya. “Stephen Harper’s comments on missing, murdered aboriginal women show lack of respect.” CBC News. December 19, 2014.
(4) Blandy, Fran. “Hollande’s popularity soars after French jihadist attacks.” January 19, 2015.
(5) “Terrorism.” Encyclopaedia Brittanica. January 30, 2015.
(6) Amato, John. “Tom Ridge admits terror alerts were used for political reasons.” Crooks & Liars. August 8, 2009.
(7) May, Elizabeth. Quoted in: “Harper’s pre-election shift: Goodbye economy, hello security.” iPolitics. January 30, 2015.
(8) Smith, Kristie. “Harper’s pre-election shift: Goodbye economy, hello security.” iPolitics. January 30, 2015.
(9) Walkom, Tom. “Canada’s new backward looking terror law.” Toronto Star. February 2, 2015.
(10) Levitz, Stephanie. “Anti-terror Bill C-51: Opposition parties treading carefully.” The Canadian Press. January 30, 2015.
(11) “Release: BCCLA reacts to sweeping new anti-terror bill.” BC Civil Liberties Association. January 30, 2015.
Comments
Harper has to go. This is nothing but fear mongering. He is starting to sound like Bush. I wonder if any of the so called terrorist attacks in Canada would of happened if Canada didn’t send troops to Iraq. How many Iraqis are dead from this so called war on terrorism?
Maybe they are still trying to find those weapons of mass destruction.
Harper would easily win the next election if one of our bomb spotting snipers was caught and beheaded by ISIS.
A telling point people shouldn’t miss is the lack of oversight and accountability for these extraordinary powers… that in the wrong hands could be used to guide Canada through nefariously in all spectrum’s from political to economic.
As it is they won’t even be answerable to Parliamentarian oversight, because even our MP’s could be isis insiders in Harpers world. This fact alone opens the door wide open to potential abuse, but there is more that should be concerning and telling in the claim that this legislation will be targeting terrorists… terrorist which would admittedly be a small segment of the overall data collected… leaving open questions as to what the government will do with all the other data they collect on a citizens political affiliations and habits, or an insider view for economic espionage.
Without proper oversight by third party stakeholders like our judicial system and parliament, and with open ended data collection for obtuse potential… this kind of legislation represents an end to a free and open democracy through the chill of a hidden hand enabling totalitarian tendencies for those entrusted with these great powers.
I think the greatest terror organization of the world is Israeli secret service mossad, and mossad has an open access to all Canadian intelligence through an intelligence sharing agreement Harper signed with Netenyahu. This is the police state model Harper is building on and that alone should scare all Canadians (do we really want to be like the apartheid Israeli state). This should insult us that on the one hand our government will willing share all intelligence with a known provocateur in mossad, and yet on the other hand extend secret policing powers over all Canadians with disregard for due process in the name of fighting provocateurs.
To me its the sign of an occupied government tightening the grip to power for an inside hidden hand operating nefariously inside the walls of our government.
And our opposition parties are all willing accomplices, because they all got PTSD from the lone wolf attack on our Parliament buildings that were left largely undefended. Now they are all scared and willing to through out all caution to the wind when it comes to protecting Canadian rights in the name of security.
For this reason alone… the PTSD situation of our sitting parliament… I think almost all incumbents should be replaced through the ballot next election, although if Harper gets his way the damage will be done long before we ever go to the polls again.
I know spelling mistake…
I guess you didn’t understand the part about judicial oversight. Nothing can be done without a warrant signed by a judge. The same law that applies to grow-op! Go Harper!
What ever laws it takes to stop this stuff before it starts is fine with me. Just look at every other country around the world and see what is happening there…it is not pretty.
If you don’t have anything to hide, why worry.
What you’re all missing is that piece in Peter’s article about “jobs, jobs, jobs”, and the absolute impossibility of ANY government creating and maintaining ‘full employment’ in a world that is rapidly replacing human labour with ever increasing automation and technology. THAT is the REAL issue here.
If it weren’t, the NDP, Liberals and Greens would all be raising the same civil liberties issues Peter is raising. And they’re NOT. Because each one of those Parties and their Leaders subscribe to exactly the SAME policy of ‘full employment’ the Conservatives do. And have no possibility, short of having a war, of ever being able to deliver on it.
Not without exposing that policy to a realisation by the general public that there is a very big difference between having ’employment’ and having an ‘income’. One you can actually live on, and should be able to live better on with each passing year without hopelessly indebting yourself, as the overall costs of production in our rapidly labour displacing world continue to fall.
To go on believing that we need to have 100% of the workforce employed, let alone working ever harder and ever longer, to provide 100% of all the goods and services we need and desire is utter lunacy.
It should be obvious to any with eyes to see that such a condition is an indication of a country’s gross INEFFICIENCY, not something that is in anyways desirable. Time to wake up. Recognise that we are no longer in the 1st Century, or any of the 18 or so later ones prior to the Industrial Revolution.
The idea that we should “let no man eat unless he has first worked” had great economic meaning in a world where actual scarcity required everyone’s physical labour. Where the very real prospect of famine stalked the land if every man’s shoulder wasn’t “harnessed to the plow.” We’re not in that world anymore. Today our problem isn’t one of scarcity, it’s one of glut. And you don’t solve that kind of problem by adding to it with a inane notion that we need more ’employment’, when it’s really ‘incomes’ that are deficient.
“Or is the threat of terrorism being magnified for political purposes?”
The answer is a foregone conclusion. Everything Harper has done, is doing and will do in the future is purely political, carefully analyzed and manipulated to an extreme level for the most political gain. Just my opinion, of course, based on observations.
Wonder why Baird is packing it in. Any news about Mike Duffy?
Re: “If you don’t have anything to hide, why worry.”
Indeed. We live in a democracy, which means I have the right to speak out against what I see as government complicity in environmental crimes here on my homeland. If you think the Harper gov’t won’t use such a law against people the RCMP terms “eco-terrorists” you’re hopelessly naive. Indeed, this law is far more likely to be used against domestic protest than against any perceived jihadism lurking in the vast regions of Canada.
In my opinion we have the threat of terrorism in Canada because Harper has been buddy buddy with great New World Terrorist Association of the World,AKA the USA.
Well quoting from the Globe and mail, using the script reader Peter Mansbridge, and Elisabeth May, wow. Not hard to notice the blatant bias of this article.
Conviently left out was the part about judicial oversite with the bill, why? How does having judicial oversite bypass democracy? Very interesting omission in the article.
The part were Harper says low on the radar made another omission, leaving out the 40 studies and the police investigation already done or under way. What will another study accomplish, as the government says time to take action not studies.
Here is the police report, interesting reading
http://news.nationalpost.com/2014/05/16/rcmp-report-on-missing-and-murdered-aboriginal-women-says-native-women-more-prone-to-violent-death/
Jens those eco-terrorists of yours have threatened violence and death or are you okay with that. Democratic protests, how about I come onto your property and threaten you? Thoughts on that. Why are the left so violent?
Peter, Jens you want democracy then vote the democratically elected majority government out and then see what you will have with whip it out boy.
Japan just had two citizens beheaded by those animals and Japan is, was not involved. Since beheading has become oh-hum the animals burned the Jordanian pilot alive in a cage. What say you all now.
Sure lots of issues in this country but do not become a Chamberlain.
Bcracer majority of the terrorism has been between Muslim factions, basically since the beginning of time.
Harper has totally disrepected the evil ones rights. yea
If harper ran a McDonald’s he’d be fired . We are bleeding jobs except for lawyers and judges . John Baird is packing it in . Party on dude . Twenty years in politics and never a job . Twenty years and he’s in the one percent . He’s not even qualified to run a McDonald’s . I would classify anyone that ever voted for this man as either a manipulator or a sheeple . Aka moron .
Going by this article were all being led down the garden path by all our politicians therefore we had better to follow the advice from a motley crew of Canadian reporters who know squat.
If you got nothing to hide what’s the problem..? In case you haven’t read any other news besides 250 news you would see that there are people within this country assisting an organization that is burning people alive, throwing people to their death and decapitating people.. This isn’t a Canada problem it’s s world problem. At least Harper has the balls to do something about it before someone else forces us into action. Yeah there might be a possibility of some freedom of speech lost but you have to remember it’s not freedom of speech without consequence..freedom of speech doesn’t give people the right to threaten or harm to other people. We can’t stick our heads in the sand and pretend terrorisim isn’t a problem..
Ataloss you just showed you know diddly squat about the average politician’s work day know matter the party. Pretty tough words peeps.
How exactly is this legislation going to stop terrorism? Won’t the would be terrorists simply go underground and avoid communicating in the types of ways that would result in them getting caught by these proposed laws?
I liken this to the gun registration laws. It feels good, but when you get right down to it, I don’t think it will have a substantial impact on actually stopping the crime it is intended to stop. Funny how Harper was dead set against infringing on the rights of gun owners, but he doesn’t appear to be against infringing on the rights of every person living in the country.
One thing we know for certain,that is the Anti Harperites are alive and well. These people for the most part are left of center, and have been anti conservative all their lives. One wouldn’t expect them to be impartial on any piece of legislation put forward by the Conservatives.
If we have learned one thing in this Country, it is that we can form a Liberal (left of Centre) or Conservative (right of Centre) Government, but we have never, and probably will never form a NDP (CCF) Socialist Government, Federally.
What you really are hearing from the Left Leaners, are the sounds of them baying at the moon on a cold winters night, wailing, let me in, let me in.
We have an election coming up, and once again the left will make their feeble attempt to form a Government, and once again because of their inability to have more than one idea they will fail.
Are you predicting another Conservative majority in the next election Palopu?
I am a conservative in the Prince George—Peace River riding. I guess I am an Anti Harperite as well. This is because I don’t believe we should have a dictator running the country.
Seamut , you must be a 1%er . That’s who harper works for , the 1% . Anyone that is not a 1%er voting for harper would be a sheeple voting against one own self interests . And that’s the height of stupidity . I hope you are old enough to have heard the Great Depression refrain ” tory times are hungry times ” . No truer statement has ever been spoken .
Hartly 2. Since when did we start to elect dictators in a free and democratic society. Seems your use of the word **dictator** is misplaced.
NMG. You are closer to the action than I am, being in Ottawa and all. My sense for the next election is quite simple.
1. The NDP does not have a hope in hell of holding on to their seats in Quebec, the seats lost in Quebec will go to the Liberals and some I expect to the Conservatives. Quebec is tired of being odd man out, and will hedge their bets.
2. The Liberals with Trudeau at the helm will not make much progress in the Western or Eastern Provinces. They are still suffering from the national disgrace of losing the title of official opposition, and will spend more time and money fighting the NDP that the Conservatives.
3. This leaves the Province of Ontario as the king maker. Rural Ontario will be Harper country, while the Cities will support Trudeau’s so called Liberals.
4. Harper formed a Majority Government without Quebec, so if he gets any additional support from Quebec it works in his favour.
If we keep in mind that most of the Anti Harper crap comes from historical enemies of the Conservatives, ie; CBC, Greens, NDP, Liberals, etc, we can assume that most of this rhetoric will fall on deaf ears.
Harper has to rally his troops, which he is in the process of doing. He has a clear message, a proven track record, and above all else, he is a smart politician. The one thing working against him is the amount of time he has been in Government. This does not usually bode well for Governments, however in this instance, under the present situation, I think it will work in his favour.
So the answer is YES I predict a Conservative Majority in the next election.
Sure would be nice if most of you do gooders could wake up and smell the coffee and realize that right now, your rights mean nothing to these groups. they could care less of how you feel. Something has to be done! Blame the government all you want but this is not going away. If even 1 Terrorist gets captured with this bill, that is one we do not have to worry about.
NMG read carefully, judicial oversight.
Ataloss are you an under achiever?
No seamutt . I have achieved more than I ever expected . It amazes me every day how well I live and feel . Even in old age I’m still running against the wind .
What Peter is missing is that IS is concentrating on the Shia to eliminate them, once done move onto what they call the distant, Europe and US, Canada.
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