Letter to Supporters: Vic Toews is talking about you

Over 106,000 of you have spoken out against online spying1, but Public Safety Minister Vic Toews still isn’t getting the message. Toews recently suggested that anyone opposed to his legislation (that’s you) is standing with child pornographers. Those critics include 8 in 10 Canadians2 (again, you) and all thirteen of Canada’s Privacy Commissioners and Ombudspersons3—everyone who is against warrantless access to our private information. Toews is using disgusting tactics and misleading Canadians4. We need to scale up our public pressure campaign to stop him and his online spying plan. We have a special chance to do that now—indie ISP Acanac just came forward to offer matching funds for those who donate today.

The government is using our fears to push the online spying bill through Parliament. Help us push back.

Over 106,000 of you have spoken out against online spying1, but Public Safety Minister Vic Toews still isn’t getting the message. Toews recently suggested that anyone opposed to his legislation (that’s you) is standing with child pornographers. Those critics include 8 in 10 Canadians2 (again, you) and all thirteen of Canada’s Privacy Commissioners and Ombudspersons3—everyone who is against warrantless access to our private information.

Toews is using disgusting tactics and misleading Canadians4. We need to scale up our public pressure campaign to stop him and his online spying plan. We have a special chance to do that now—indie ISP Acanac just came forward to offer matching funds for those who donate today.

If you help now while we have this opportunity, we’re confident we can fight the Toews’ attack.

Toews’ comments appear to be part of a coordinated effort to use the safety of children as political cover5, and we need to scale up our efforts to stop it. Instead of apologizing or committing to meaningful changes to the bill, Vic Toews is unleashing a PR storm with the same old talking points.

Our goal is to raise $15,000 in the next 24 hours, and unlock matching funds from Acanac. Please help us set things straight by chipping in—even $5—so we can push back against Toews with public pressure to stop online spying.

With your help, we can tell Toews:

It’s not okay to use our fears against us. We’ll fight back with local actions in key ridings across the country.

It’s not okay to mislead Canadians. We’ll push for meaningful changes to this bill with targeted online ads.

It’s not okay to invade our personal privacy. We’ll launch a sophisticated online video to ensure Canadians know what Vic Toews is doing.

Please take a stand for your open Internet and your civil liberties in the next 24 hours.

For Canada,

Steve, on behalf of your OpenMedia.ca Team

P.S. We can’t let this truly offensive charade go unchallenged. It’s disgusting, and quite frankly immoral and un-Canadian. Please chip in now to help us set things straight.

Footnotes

[1] Over 106K Canadians have added their names to the petition at http://StopSpying.ca

[2] A survey from the Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada indicates that vast majority of Canadians oppose warrantless online spying.

[3] See this letter to Public Safety Canada from Canada's Privacy Commissioners and Ombudspersons

[4] See the CBC article, Online surveillance bill opens door for Big Brother

[5] See the Postmedia article, Can you spot the difference on “lawful access” bill?