Liberals oppose Conservatives' motion to extend sunset clause

The Liberal Party believes the safety of Canadians is paramount and we remain committed to measures that will combat terrorism and safeguard the Canadian people. The Liberal government understood the potential threat to civil liberties represented by such tools when it passed the Act. But after five years, there is no evidence that extending the sunset period on these investigative hearings and preventative arrests is a justifiable infringement on Canadians' rights.

Prime Minister Stephen Harper has abandoned an election commitment to review and amend Canada’s anti-terror laws to strike a balance between security and rights.

This is rather ironic, since the Prime Minister has recently made it clear that the rights of the accused are not something he feels compelled to protect. Nor does he seem obliged to accept the conclusions of the review he once supported.

If the Prime Minister’s current actions are any indication, he was not sincere in his commitment to a balanced approach, and has instead chosen a path of partisanship. He owes Canadians an explanation.

Mr. Harper has refused to withdraw unfounded allegations that the Liberals want to water down the anti-terrorism bill because of a family connection to Liberal MP Navdeep Bains. Mr. Harper’s current position contradicts his reply to a Canadian Arab Federation questionnaire during the 2006 election, in which he claimed to support “striking an appropriate balance between measures that ensure public security and measures that ensure respect for rights and freedoms for individual Canadians” and said that “there needs to be periodic reviews by Parliament of the Anti-Terrorism Act to ensure this act continues to meet that balance.”

His election-inspired response also indicated the Conservatives would amend the security certificate process to ensure cases are presided over by a panel of security-cleared judges with training in national security issues. In cases where national security dictates evidence be heard in secret, the Conservatives committed to support the establishment of security-cleared lawyers to act as special advocates to protect the rights of the accused.

In a recent Parliamentary review, Conservative MPs joined with the Liberals to recommend significant changes to the preventative arrest and investigative hearing provisions of the Anti-Terrorism Act – including the limitation of investigative hearings to situations of “imminent peril.” These recommendations have been largely ignored by the Prime Minister.

On top of his rejection of the conclusions of this Parliamentary review, Mr. Harper has now smeared the reputation of a Liberal MP.

The ultimate purpose of our national security laws is to uphold our democratic way of life. The Prime Minister must start practicing some democracy, accept the recommendations of Parliament. It is the duty of a Prime Minister to uphold the Canadian ideals of justice, equality and fair play.





The Honourable Lucienne Robillard is the Liberal Member of Parliament for Westmount-Ville-Marie and the Deputy House Leader.