Bill C-51 opponents plan 'Day of Action' to protest new policing powers

As MPs head home for a weeklong constituency break, at least a dozen Conservative MPs can expect to get a visit today from opponents of the government's proposed anti-terror legislation during a "Day of Action to Stop Bill C-51."

According to the StopC51.ca website, there are currently more than 55 "non-partisan" events slated to take place over the weekend, with protests outside the riding offices of 13 Conservative MPs, including Industry Minister James Moore and Ontario Progressive Conservative leadership candidate Patrick Brown.

Critics of the bill are planning to gather outside the downtown Ottawa office block that houses the Prime Minister's Office.

Meanwhile, New Democrat Leader Tom Mulcair and Green Party Leader Elizabeth May are expected to speak at rallies in Montreal and Toronto, respectively.

A media advisory issued on Friday states that more than 30 "leading digital rights, pro-democracy and civil liberties organizations" are backing the movement, including OpenMedia, LeadNow, Amnesty International Canada, the BC Freedom of Information and Privacy Association, Canadian Journalists for Free Expression, the Council for Canadians, Tunnelbear and Women Against Stephen Harper.

CSIS power boost, privacy concerns fuel protests

Protests are slated to take place "in every province across Canada," it notes.

According to the website, the key concerns driving Saturday's protests are the additional powers to be given to the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS), the potential violations of charter rights and provisions to increase the sharing of information among federal departments and agencies, as well as law enforcement.

"This bill disproportionately targets indigenous communities, environmental activists, dissidents, and Muslims, many of whom are already subjected to questionable and overreaching powers by security officials, [and] will make it easier and ostensibly lawful for government to continue infringing upon the rights of peaceful people," the website states.

'Day of Action' online

There's a major online component to the campaign as well, including multiple petitions, specially designed anti-C-51 avatars for Facebook and Twitter and an embeddable video produced by LeadNow.ca.

A letter-to-the-editor generator will automatically send your message to local media outlets based on your postal code.

Although the app doesn't actually fill in the text field, it does include "key points to consider," as well as a "pro tip" that "mentioning the name of your local MP or senator in your letter makes it far more likely they'll take notice and respond."

Justice Minsiter Peter MacKay (left), Public Safety Minister Steven Blaney, CSIS director Michel Coulombe and RCMP Commissioner Bob Paulson fielded questions on the proposed anti-terror bill during a joint appearance before the House public safety committee on Tuesday. (Adrian Wyld/The Canadian Press)

The planned rallies were a topic in the House during question period on Friday.

"We have had 12 witnesses appear before the standing committee on public safety and national security this week — witnesses from a wide variety of backgrounds and perspectives," noted New Democrat public safety critic Randall Garrison.

"Every single one of them has highlighted serious problems with Bill C-51," he continued.

"The bill is so bad that Canadians in over 50 towns and cities across the country will be rallying against it this Saturday."

He called on Public Safety Minister Steven Blaney, Justice Minister Peter MacKay "or anyone over there" on the government side of the chamber to "start listening to Canadians and pull back on the bill."

Information sharing defended

In response, Blaney's parliamentary secretary, Roxanne James, said she was "very pleased" to respond to concerns raised by one of the committee witnesses — Assembly of First Nations National Chief Perry Bellegarde — who told the committee he believed the expanded definition of terrorism could result in First Nations people being put under state surveillance.

"Most people across Canada believe that if one branch of government comes across information pertinent to the national security of this country and the safety and security of our citizens, then that branch of government should be able to relay that information to our national security agencies," she said.

"That is precisely what Bill C-51 would do, and I was pleased to be able to answer those concerns."

The House public safety committee, which began its review of the bill on Tuesday, has already heard from several of the bill's most outspoken critics.

In addition to Bellegarde, MPs have been briefed on potential problems with the bill by Ron Atkey, a former chair of the Security Information Review Committee, which is charged with keeping an eye on CSIS, as well as professors Kent Roach and Craig Forcese, who are conducting a "real time" legal analysis of the bill.

Hearings are expected to continue when the House reopens for business on March 23.

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