Editor: Re: Bill C-51, which will give increased powers to authorities to track terrorists.
Times have changed a lot since 9/11, and we Canadians are reluctant to further erode our freedoms without good cause. Many of us are nervous about giving the state authorities, CSIS (Canadian Security Intelligence Service) and police more broad powers.
This is a very difficult issue for the government to deal with, especially pre-election. The opposition鈥檚 purpose is to bash Prime Minister Stephen Harper, and the ruling party鈥檚 every move is to make political points.
In the open western world, it is a complex balancing act to preserve our freedoms and sovereignty and keep us safer than the radical chaos we are witnessing elsewhere.
Radical Islam and other extremism has now crept and manifested itself across our country, indoctrinating and recruiting some of our youth to anarchist jihad ideology.
The terrorists are very sophisticated in using our laws and freedoms against us, exploiting political correctness and the weak spots in our laws to their advantage. We do need to upgrade the laws sufficiently to deal with them.
Since terrorists and anarchists maneuver in the shadows, clandestine covert undercover missions are necessary to thwart terrorist activities before they come to a climax. Obviously, it鈥檚 important that the undercover agents鈥� cover not be blown.
Those who oppose Bill C-51 operate by the mantra of 鈥渕ore oversight.鈥� However, the very nature of surreptitious investigations calls for utmost secrecy. To suggest that undercover work should be known to the suspects under surveillance is obviously a nonsensical oxymoron.
So how do we minimize erosion of our freedoms? If you are not doing anything wrong, then you have nothing to worry about.
Freedom鈥檚 slippery slope is unfortunately where radical Islam jihad and provocative activists have brought us towards.
We have to realize in all serious reality, it鈥檚 never going to be as free as we once were before 9/11.
But we can hold our public protectors, the police, to some oversight if they abuse their record keeping 鈥榖ook鈥� on us regular citizens.
We have:
- Our local Members of Parliament (federal).
- Our local MLAs (provincial).
- Our free press and media, newspaper reporters, radio talk programs, TV news etc.
- Internet, social media, Facebook, Twitter etc.
Should Bill C-51 include the surveillance and protection of our infrastructure and economy?
It鈥檚 become a serious concern that a foreign-funded, anti-oil eco-lobby is targeting Canadian oil producers and pipeline companies. They don鈥檛 agitate against American, OPEC, or Russian oil, only Canadian oil and pipelines.
The most nervous faction of those who oppose Bill C-51 are the un-Canadian provocative activists who are attempting to subvert our economy.
It is a very serious matter, attempting to prevent a country鈥檚 products from reaching markets. Economic sedition? Insurgent anarchy? Wars have been fought over smaller things.
I am in support of Bill C-51. Canada鈥檚 sovereignty and protection of our infrastructure is paramount to our economy, jobs and survival.
Roland Seguin,
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