BC Freedom of Information and Privacy Association
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FIPA report calls for rethink of Anti-terrorism Act
FIPA has submitted a paper to the House of Commons Subcommittee on Public Safety and National Security, which is currently reviewing Canada’s Anti-terrorism Act. Entitled “Canada’s Anti-terrorism Act: an unjustified limitation of freedom of information and privacy rights”, the report calls for the rollback of changes wrought by the Act.
In FIPA’s view, the tragic events of September 11 have been used as a pretext for an expansion of police power and surveillance practices heretofore unacceptable to the vast majority of Canadians.
The report states that “The ATA was unnecessary at its conception and remains so today, not only because it is based on the false belief that civil rights must be traded for security, but also because the police powers and surveillance capabilities necessary to fight terrorism already existed before 9/11.”
FIPA has submitted a paper to the House of Commons Subcommittee on Public Safety and National Security, which is currently reviewing Canada’s Anti-terrorism Act. Entitled “Canada’s Anti-terrorism Act: an unjustified limitation of freedom of information and privacy rights”, the report calls for the rollback of changes wrought by the Act.
In FIPA’s view, the tragic events of September 11 have been used as a pretext for an expansion of police power and surveillance practices heretofore unacceptable to the vast majority of Canadians.
The report states that “The ATA was unnecessary at its conception and remains so today, not only because it is based on the false belief that civil rights must be traded for security, but also because the police powers and surveillance capabilities necessary to fight terrorism already existed before 9/11.”