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Doug Cuthand: Anti-terrorism bill is too blunt an instrument

Bill C-51, otherwise known as the anti-terrorism bill, is a pre-election attempt by the Harper government to gain the high ground in the war on terror. It is also a blunt instrument that could be used internally.

Bill C-51, otherwise known as the anti-terrorism bill, is a pre-election attempt by the Harper government to gain the high ground in the war on terror. It is also a blunt instrument that could be used internally.

While the prime minister stresses the evils of Islamist jihadists, the bill can be used against any number of groups that fall within the ill-defined area of terrorism.

This raises the point about aboriginal groups within Canada. This legislation could have been used to come down on the warriors at the Oka crisis in 1990. Since then, there have been numerous skirmishes, demonstrations and blockades, all of which might have been subject to Bill C-51.

Relations between First Nations and Canada are tense and more demonstrations are inevitable. The question is: Will Bill C-51 be a new weapon in the federal government’s arsenal?

The First Nations and environmental groups that have been opposing oilsands development and the Northern Gateway and Keystone XL pipelines have been labelled enviro-terrorists. At what point does a label turn to reality and become the target of this legislation?

The legislation is a blunt instrument giving added powers to CSIS, including the power to engage in dirty tricks and disruptive activities.

The threshold for detaining terror suspects has been lowered to provide for the arrest of individuals who are suspected of “communicating statements” and knowingly promoting the “commission of terrorists in general.”

If a person is suspected of being a “terrorist” and considered at risk to break the law, he or she can be placed in jail for a year without trial.

The law is written in vague terms that give a lot of latitude to CSIS and the RCMP. For example, it is considered a crime for someone to knowingly communicate or promote “the commission of terrorist offensive in general.” Under this legislation, a person advocating direct action to protect aboriginal rights or the environment could be thrown in jail for five years.

Right now, there are cases of direct action all across the country. First Nations are protecting the environment and opposing pipeline construction, the strip-mining of the oilsands and resource development on First Nations lands.

The Unist’ot’en camp, including cabins and a pit house, in Tsilhqot’in territory is on the proposed right of way for the Northern Gateway pipeline. People have been camped there for several years. If the pipeline is approved, there would most certainly be a confrontation. Would this be considered a terrorist act?

There are other examples, such as Caledonia, Ont., where traditional lands of the Six Nations reserve have been occupied for years.

When do dissent and political action become terrorist acts? Can the government use this legislation as a tool, albeit a clumsy one, to stifle legitimate dissent and criminalize political action? Will our people get caught in this web like dolphins in a drift net?

This legislation is aimed at radical Muslims — jihadists — but there are no sunset clauses. The legislation is open-ended and could apply to any group that “threatens Canadian security.” The government is also creating a climate of fear and turning Canadians against the vast majority of mainstream Muslims who want nothing more than to live, love and practise their religion.

I don’t ever recall Christians apologizing for the actions of radical cults or the Ku Klux Klan, even though they used Christianity as the bedrock for their warped views.

This legislation will drive wedges between people. Through fear and ignorance, non-white and non-Christian people will be treated with suspicion.

There is a real need for education, understanding and empathy among the many different peoples that form the Canadian family.

None of this is forthcoming from this government. Instead, we are treated to a climate of fear and distrust.

While we should never underestimate the horror terrorists can unleash, we must be careful not to overreact and trade freedom for security. We need to strike a balance so one doesn’t overwhelm the other.

Doug Cuthand is a columnist for the Saskatoon StarPhoenix.