Today, Rob Oliphant, M.P. for Don Valley West and Chair of the Standing Committee on Public Safety and National Security, joined other members of the Committee to present their report entitled: “Protecting Canadians and Their Rights: A New Road Map to Canada’s National Security”. The report, which includes 41 recommendations to government, calls on the Honourable Ralph Goodale, Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness, to continue to follow through on the government’s commitment to repeal the problematic elements of the former Bill C-51.

“I was pleased to work with my colleagues on the committee to produce recommendations that will both ensure Canadians’ safety and their rights and freedoms under the Charter. Minister Goodale has already taken significant steps to respond to the problematic parts of the Conservative government’s Anti-Terrorism Act of 2015. I am looking forward to his response to our report,” said Mr. Oliphant.

Key recommendations include:

• requiring all warrants for the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) to respect the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms;
• clarifying overly vague definitions in the Criminal Code such as “terrorist propaganda” to ensure that Canadians are not limited from lawful protest;
• the government putting in place a rapid redress system for “false positives” under the Passenger Protect Program, also known as the “no fly list,” and publicly report the number of people on the list;
• that any disruption measures that violate Canadian law should be subject in advance to judicial oversight and the authorization of the responsible minister;
• that the government develop a strategy based in communities for the prevention of radicalization to violence, focusing on the empowerment of women and youth;
• that the government clarify definitions in the Security of Canada Information Sharing Act to ensure that Canadians’ privacy is better protected.

During its study, which began in September 2016, the Committee received 39 briefs and heard from 138 witnesses. The committee held public consultations in Vancouver, Calgary, Toronto, Montréal, and Halifax. The Committee also received more than 1800 emails from citizens focused on privacy protections.

The report in its entirety can be viewed here: Protecting Canadians and Their Rights: A New Road Map for Canada’s National Security