Crowds protest terror bill in Ottawa, across nation
More than 300 people gathered in front of Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s Parliament Hill offices Saturday to show their opposition to Bill C-51, the government’s proposed anti-terrorism legislation.
Loudly, but peacefully, they marched in front of Langevin Block in freezing drizzle as the Peace Tower bell echoed across Wellington Street.
The Ottawa march was part of a nationwide web of protests against the government’s proposed sweeping anti-terror legislation.
Bill C-51 would restructure Canada’s security laws to allow police to detain terror suspects more easily, ban the “promotion of terrorism,” enhance powers of the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) to gather and share data, and allow the government to add people to Canada’s “no-fly” list.
Protesters claim the bill would create a secret police force with little oversight, facilitate government spying and information sharing on Canadians, and violate freedom of speech. “I think it threatens our rights to demonstrate and to protest against anything that the government does,” said Francis Scholten, who travelled from Hammond, Ont., to protest.
He fears he would be put on a government watch list for simply protesting.
“If we disagree with something, we should have the right to be out there to voice our opinions. We shouldn’t be afraid. We have that right to do that.”
The legislation comes after the Oct. 21 death of Canadian Forces Warrant Officer Patrice Vincent, killed in a hit-and-run in St-Jeansur-Richelieu, Que., and the death later that month of Cpl. Nathan Cirillo, who was shot while standing guard at the National War Memorial in Ottawa.
The prime minister cited these events and others as justification for tougher laws “to protect Canadians from the evolving threat of terrorism and keep our communities safe.”
But marcher Sue Blenkarn worries that the government uses these events as a way to mask its intention to gain more control.
She believes Canada’s spy agency will need to be held more accountable.
“I think we need somebody to watch the people who are watching us,” she said, brandishing a bright blue “Stop Bill C-51” placard.
In a statement to CBC on Saturday afternoon, Public Safety Minister Steven Blaney’s spokesman, Jeremy Laurin, said the government “rejects the argument that every time we talk about security, our freedoms are threatened.
“Canadians understand that their freedom and security go hand in hand (and) expect us to protect both, and there are safeguards in this legislation to do exactly that,” the statement said.
According to protest organizers, there were more than 55 anti-Bill C-51 events happening across the country, with protests outside the riding offices of 13 Conservative MPs.
In Montreal, NDP Leader Tom Mulcair took part in an anti-C-51 march that was expected to end in front of the riding office of Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau.
Trudeau has said that his caucus will vote in favour of the bill, but amend it if they are elected as the government in federal elections scheduled for October.