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The proposed set of laws would dramatically expand the mandate and power of the CSIS — including allowing it to obtain warrants to breach the Criminal Code and Charter rights. The bill would criminalize the promotion of terrorism, make it easier for police to arrest and detain individuals without charge as suspected national security threats, and much more.

Several legal and national security experts have expressed concern. Some say the proposed legislation is a radical and potentially dangerous departure from traditional Canadian law. Other experts think it is proportional and reasonable, given modern-day threats of terrorism.

The government hopes the bill will become law before summer. A federal election is to be held in the fall.

Since the legislation was tabled Jan. 30, Mulcair has been wary of the bill but non-committal on how his party will vote. NDP MP Randall Garrison, the party’s public safety critic, said last week that “we are prepared to look at what we need to do to meet the threats that we face, but the government has not provided any evidence that what they’re proposing addresses the actual threats we face.”

He suggested the NDP is leaning against the bill.

“I have had zero phones call, emails or personal contacts urging me to vote for the bill. I would take that my colleagues are hearing similar things,” Garrison said.

“We will be coming back together as a caucus and when the debate begins we will be letting people know what our final decision is. But we are expressing concerns, we’re not saying we’re neutral.”