The International Civil Liberties Monitoring Group issued the following news release supporting the Privacy Commissioner's concerns expressed in his 2001-2002 Annual Report to Parliament. January 30, 2002 Privacy Commissioner's Annual Report OTTAWA - Members of a national coalition set up to monitor the application of Canada's anti-terrorism legislation applaud the annual report tabled yesterday in Parliament by Privacy Commissioner George Radwanski. The International Civil Liberties Monitoring Group (ICLMG) shares the concerns expressed by the Commissioner that the privacy rights guaranteed by the Canadian Charters of Rights are being seriously eroded by the web of anti-terrorism legislation adopted by Parliament since September 2001, or about to be adopted in coming months. "The Privacy Commissioner has performed a service for all of us, citizens and legislators, by focusing attention on the impact of Bill C-17 and related initiatives, on existing human and civil rights protections" says Gerry Barr, co-Chair of the International Civil Liberties Monitoring Group (ICLMG) and President/CEO of the Canadian Council for International Co-operation. "Like Mr. Radwanski, we are concerned that measures adopted to protect Canadians are being used as an excuse to increase the surveillance powers of police and of the state for purposes other than the fight against terrorism, and constitute a violation of basic freedoms under the Charter of Rights". "We are worried that some measures are overbroad and appear to have been prepared hurriedly to respond to U.S. pressures" adds Maude Barlow, National Chairperson of the Council of Canadians and a member of the monitoring group. "We fear that the introduction of intrusive technology, such as the creation of a 'Big Brother' data bank on the foreign travel activities of Canadians, represents a deeply troubling move toward what can only be viewed as a corner-stone for a parallel system to draconian U.S. security initiatives such as the Total Information Awareness project. This will further encourage the kind of racial profiling and abuse that has been carried out as a systematic practice by U.S. customs officials over the last few months. It also raises challenges to Canadian norms and tradition, and to both national and universal rights." ICLMG believes that legislators, Parliament itself and the Government in power must find an appropriate balance, and reassert a commitment to the essential rights and protections of Canadians as embodied in the Constitution. The International Civil Liberties Monitoring Group is a coalition made up of NGOs, churches, unions, environmental advocates, civil rights advocates, other faith groups and groups representing immigrant and refugee communities in Canada (See list of members below). - 30 - For more information, please contact: Katia Gianneschi ICLMG members include: |
Date published: 2003-11-04 |
Important Notices |