MPs vote against extending anti-terrorism measures
Last Updated: Tuesday, February 27, 2007 | 8:02 PM ET
CBC News
http://www.cbc.ca/canada/story/2007/02/27/terror-vote.html
Opposition parties banded together Tuesday to defeat a controversial Conservative proposal to extend two anti-terrorism measures contained in the Criminal Code.
The proposal was voted down 159-124 in the House of Commons.
Opposition leader Stephane Dion recieves a standing ovation Tuesday after voting against a bill to extend the anti-terrorism measures.
(Tom Hanson/Canadian Press)
Liberal Leader Stéphane Dion led off the "No" votes as fellow Liberals clapped and cheered him on. All but two Liberals present ended up voting against the proposal, as did all Bloc Québécois and NDP in the House.
"These two provisions especially have done nothing to fight against terrorism," Dion said Tuesday. "[They] have not been helpful and have continued to create some risk for civil liberties."
All Conservatives present, including Prime Minister Stephen Harper, voted to extend the anti-terrorism measures for three years. The measures expire Thursday.
One of the measures allows police to arrest suspects without a warrant and detain them for three days without charges, provided police believe a terrorist act may be committed.
The other measure allows judges to compel witnesses to testify in secret about past associations or pending acts. The witnesses could go to jail if they don't comply.
The two measures have never been used by police or prosecutors.
The proposal to extend the measures has somewhat divided Liberals, but MP Tom Wappel was the only Liberal who voted alongside the Conservatives Tuesday. He was a member of the subcommittee that reviewed the anti-terrorism measures.
Liberal Cotler abstains from vote
Former Liberal justice minister Irwin Cotler abstained from voting Tuesday. He was present in the House, but never rose from his seat during the vote.
Before the vote, Cotler said he could not comfortably support either side. He said the position could be taken that the provisions have never been implemented and therefore they should be sunsetted.
"Or you can take the position as I've taken," he said. "The fact that [the provisions] have not been used means that they have not been abused, but they may still be needed."
The anti-terrorism rules became law on Dec. 18, 2001, in the chaotic aftermath of the Sept. 11 attacks on the United States.
The rules, known as the Anti-terrorism Act, were created by the Liberal government, which introduced and fast-tracked them through the House of Commons and the Liberal-dominated Senate.
The act was hotly debated, as it defines what terrorism is and makes it a punishable offence within Canada's Criminal Code.
With files from the Canadian Press
Last Updated: Tuesday, February 27, 2007 | 8:02 PM ET
CBC News
http://www.cbc.ca/canada/story/2007/02/27/terror-vote.html
Opposition parties banded together Tuesday to defeat a controversial Conservative proposal to extend two anti-terrorism measures contained in the Criminal Code.
The proposal was voted down 159-124 in the House of Commons.
Opposition leader Stephane Dion recieves a standing ovation Tuesday after voting against a bill to extend the anti-terrorism measures.
(Tom Hanson/Canadian Press)
Liberal Leader Stéphane Dion led off the "No" votes as fellow Liberals clapped and cheered him on. All but two Liberals present ended up voting against the proposal, as did all Bloc Québécois and NDP in the House.
"These two provisions especially have done nothing to fight against terrorism," Dion said Tuesday. "[They] have not been helpful and have continued to create some risk for civil liberties."
All Conservatives present, including Prime Minister Stephen Harper, voted to extend the anti-terrorism measures for three years. The measures expire Thursday.
One of the measures allows police to arrest suspects without a warrant and detain them for three days without charges, provided police believe a terrorist act may be committed.
The other measure allows judges to compel witnesses to testify in secret about past associations or pending acts. The witnesses could go to jail if they don't comply.
The two measures have never been used by police or prosecutors.
The proposal to extend the measures has somewhat divided Liberals, but MP Tom Wappel was the only Liberal who voted alongside the Conservatives Tuesday. He was a member of the subcommittee that reviewed the anti-terrorism measures.
Liberal Cotler abstains from vote
Former Liberal justice minister Irwin Cotler abstained from voting Tuesday. He was present in the House, but never rose from his seat during the vote.
Before the vote, Cotler said he could not comfortably support either side. He said the position could be taken that the provisions have never been implemented and therefore they should be sunsetted.
"Or you can take the position as I've taken," he said. "The fact that [the provisions] have not been used means that they have not been abused, but they may still be needed."
The anti-terrorism rules became law on Dec. 18, 2001, in the chaotic aftermath of the Sept. 11 attacks on the United States.
The rules, known as the Anti-terrorism Act, were created by the Liberal government, which introduced and fast-tracked them through the House of Commons and the Liberal-dominated Senate.
The act was hotly debated, as it defines what terrorism is and makes it a punishable offence within Canada's Criminal Code.
With files from the Canadian Press
