Let’s focus on prosecuting jihadis

Picture a jihadist sprawled out on a shrink’s couch. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau sits in the chair in front of him, pen and notepad ready to go, asking the prospective terrorists about his feelings.

That’s one image that comes to mind after statements made by Trudeau and Public Safety Minister Ralph Goodale in the wake of Aaron Driver’s failed terror plot. And it’s an image the Liberals need to work hard to shake if they want the public to have trust in their ability to tackle terrorism.

On Wednesday Goodale said the Liberals are considering making counter-radicalization counselling mandatory for any jihadist put under a peace bond. It’s one step of many in an all hands on deck approach. But counselling isn’t the main issue. Law enforcement is where resources must go.

As for the PM, he finally addressed the Driver incident Tuesday after days of silence. Sort of. He didn’t spend his time denouncing Driver’s actions. He didn’t assure Canadians of his firm resolve to tackle terror, both homegrown and abroad. Instead the key takeaway from his comments were about civil liberties.

“Canada is a country that values its freedom (and) its basic charter rights,” The Canadian Press reported the PM as saying. “All Canadians expect their government to do two things: to keep Canadians safe and to defend and uphold the values and rights that all Canadians hold dear.”

While we technically agree with everything he’s said, it’s an odd comment to make during his first time speaking about the incident. It’s almost like he thinks the real problem isn’t that a Canadian jihadist was only narrowly thwarted from executing a terror attack in a Canadian city, but that a civil liberties encroachment might come out of it. An attack did almost happen. The potential issue around civil liberties are theoretical.

Trudeau should focus on the real problem.

The RCMP have already admitted they’re not charging some people who violated Criminal Code terror offences. And a 2015 Senate committee report on countering terror had to recommend the RCMP do their job and enforce the law. These are troubling facts.

First and foremost, this is where Trudeau and Goodale should focus their attention.