NDP amendments will kill Bill C-51’s dangerous provisions

New Democrats have introduced amendments that delete C-51 clauses which undermine Canadians' rights and freedoms, and add critical oversight.

"Testimony that we’ve heard has confirmed what we’ve said since the start – this is a dangerous, ineffective bill that should not be adopted” said NDP public safety critic Randall Garrison (Esquimalt—Juan de Fuca). "The NDP plan will protect both our rights and our safety."

NDP's amendment strategy has three objectives:

1, Delete provisions that undermine Canadians' rights and freedoms including:

// vague new offence which lumps dissent with violent extremism

// lower threshold for preventative detention, and

// CSIS power of disruption

2, Add effective provisions missing from C-51 by:

// strengthening existing oversight of security and intelligence agencies

// ensuring Canada adopts a system of parliamentary oversight that will work

// creating a community outreach and de-radicalization coordinator

// mandating a 3-year review of the legislation with a sunset clause

3, Limit the scope of the bill by:

// protecting privacy rights and narrowing the information sharing provision to cover only terrorism

// narrowing the grounds for listing individuals on no-fly lists and providing a better appeal process

“Witnesses from across the political spectrum told us this bill has serious, fundamental flaws”, said NDP Public Safety deputy critic Rosane Doré Lefebvre (Alfred—Pellan). “It’s not a matter of adding oversight and making a couple of tweaks – C-51 simply shouldn’t go forward”