Gaping holes
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- Published on Thursday, 10 March 2016 11:45
- Written by editor
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Gaping holes in our accountability framework
Dear PAOV,
We have gaping holes in our national security accountability framework, left shamefully unaddressed since the Arar Commission.
Now with C-51 in the mix, we have legislation that both violates our rights and fails to make us safer.
In response to overwhelming public pressure, the government of Canada has promised to review and revise elements of Bill C-51, the Anti-Terrorism Act 2015, and to engage in a public consultation on Canadian national security.
Today the BCCLA and civil society groups across the country are speaking in one voice to tell government that this opportunity must not be squandered.
We have just launched the first pieces of a joint effort to shine a bright light into the dark corners of Canada's national security apparatus.
I invite you to check out the recommendations we sent to Minister Ralph Goodale this morning, and to learn more about Canada's national security framework by checking out our new page.
While every aspect of government requires accountability, national security accountability faces a combination of challenges that are entirely unique.
It is unique for its secrecy. It is unique for the consequences of failure. And it is unique in the human rights violations that flow from abuses by security and intelligence agencies.
As Canada embarks on a rare opportunity to have a public conversation about our democracy's most secret agencies and frameworks, we hope every citizen will follow along closely. There is so much at stake.
There will be more to come.
Talk soon,
Micheal Vonn,
BCCLA Policy Director
