#stopc51

Bill C-51 is ill-considered, overly broad, and critically lacking in effective, independent oversight, which is why it's been denounced by more than a hundred academics ( http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/anti-terrorism-bill-c-51-dangerous-legislation-100-academics-say-1.2975233 ), four ex-PMs (three of them Liberal), five former Supreme Court justices, three past members of the intelligence review committee, two former privacy commissioners, and a retired RCMP watchdog ( http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/csis-oversight-urged-by-ex-pms-as-conservatives-rush-bill-c-51-debate-1.2963179 ). It of course is also opposed by the government's own privacy commissioner, who as you no doubt know is being prevented from testifying before the Public Safety Committee on this matter ( http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/bill-c-51-privacy-watchdog-daniel-therrien-blocked-from-committee-witness-list-1.2991265 ). I understand that the Liberal Party has some objections to the bill, but the plain fact is that you are nonetheless voting in favour of it. If you truly agree that the bill is flawed, and expect to be credited for taking that position in the upcoming election, then take a stand that matters and vote against this deeply flawed legislation. Canadians deserve better than Bill C-51, and we deserve representation from people who acknowledge that truth in a meaningful way. If you'd like to further understand my objections to Bill C-51, this analysis summarizes my position very well: http://www.thestar.com/opinion/commentary/2015/02/17/bill-c-51-moves-us-one-step-closer-to-the-end-of-privacy.html Lastly, it goes without saying that the saga of Maher Arar should cast a long shadow over any efforts to increase "information sharing" between government agencies without a corresponding increase in oversight, transparency, and accountability. For such a thing to have happened once is horrible, but for us to subsequently pass a law that makes such an episode more likely would be shameful. Thanks for your time, Brook Jones

(follow-up - sent 2015.05.04)

Hello again Dr. Fry,

In the absence of a reply to my earlier letter, and in view of the imminent final vote, I’d like to reiterate my thoughts on Bill C-51, and again encourage you to consider voting in the interests of your constituents rather than along party lines.

The parliamentary review process has not succeeded in producing any meaningful amendments to the bill -- I concur with the BC Civil Liberties Association, who concluded their point-by-point analysis of the committee’s changes changes thusly: “This Bill is fundamentally flawed, and cannot be salvaged by any amendment, let alone these four”.

Nor have any of the Liberal Party’s proposed amendments been adopted -- and even those were deemed inadequate by the Canadian Civil Liberties Association: “While we appreciate the Opposition’s attempt to claw back some of Bill C-51’s most significant excesses, Bill C-51’s constitutional overreaches cannot be remedied through piecemeal amendment”.

It is difficult to understand why you would then vote to enact a bill whose support has plunged steadily as Canadians have learned about exactly how sweeping and unregulated the powers it grants to police and government agencies are. The numerous serious issues identified by Forcese and Roach barely two weeks after the bill was introduced all remain, and if this bill becomes law, it will make Canadians less safe: as the case of Maher Arar has amply demonstrated, we must be protected not only from terrorists, but also from the very real threat of surveillance, harassment, and persecution by our own government.

Please consider your constituents, of whom I am one (V6B6M3), and vote “No” on Bill C-51 tomorrow.

Thanks,