Another letter on Bill C-51
By Art Joyce
You know it’s bad when even Rex Murphy is against it… I’m speaking of course of Bill C-51… which, if passed, will mean the end of civil liberties in Canada. i.e. A true totalitarian state where the expression of dissent or protest is criminalized and where the principle of due process of law for those accused no longer exists. What’s next? Policing the Orwellian concept of “thought crimes,” i.e. expressing opinions contrary to the state, that can be reprimanded or punished?
As the Huffington Post put it: “…it will even mean Canadians can be detained without charge — meaning we’re now on the verge of overturning an 800-year-old right that goes all the way back to the Magna Carta.”
I can’t emphasize this enough: THIS IS A NATIONAL EMERGENCY. PLEASE don’t say: “Oh, that could never happen here.” Please speak up against this bill, write or phone your MP, your MLA, write your local or national newspaper. This is the very opposite of what our veterans fought and died for, against past tyrants who had very similar ideas of “national security.”
And what are we trading our civil rights for? A terrorist threat that barely exists in Canada. Two deaths in the 13 years since 9/11.
There are several organizations campaigning against this draconian Bill: Sierra Club, Avaaz, Greenpeace, Press Progress, and others. Please consider signing one of these petitions but don’t stop there. I’ve personally found Avaaz to be one of the more effective campaigners because they combine Internet activism with real-world demonstrations that make a media impact.
Interestingly, the Globe and Mail initially ran op-eds condemning the Bill as going too far but have recently switched to being cheerleaders for it, even running a bogus poll claiming a majority of Canadians are in favour of the draconian Bill. Whether due to fear of reprisal or simply being an apparatus of the state is hard to tell. For more balanced coverage please visit the links at the bottom of this email.
Let’s cherish the values that generations of Canadians have fought to protect, a truly enlightened and democratic country where all are free to express their opinions, even to the extent of civil disobedience, without having to live in constant fear of reprisal.
Arthur Joyce
