New Democrat MP wants C-51 repealed

NDP public safety critic Randall Garrison says the omnibus security legislation known as Bill C-51 infringes on the liberties of Canadians without making people safer.

The legislation gave the Canadian Security Intelligence Service more power to thwart suspected terrorist plots — not just gather information about them.

It also expanded the sharing of federal security information, broadened no-fly list powers and created a new criminal offence of encouraging someone to carry out a terrorism attack.

The previous Conservative government introduced the legislation early last year, less than three months after jihadi-inspired attacks that killed Canadian soldiers in St-Jean-sur-Richelieu, Que., and Ottawa just days apart.

The NDP staunchly opposed the bill, but it became law with support from the Liberals, who promised during the subsequent election campaign to change what they call “problematic elements.”

The Liberal government recently announced a wide-ranging consultation on national security, saying the Conservatives failed to properly consider public views before rushing ahead with C-51.

Garrison chided the Trudeau government for lack of action.

“They’ve turned all their promises into discussion points,” he said Monday. “And so we’re nowhere near actually having something concrete to discuss in the House.”

— Jim Bronskill

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