Supplementary Opinion of the New Democratic Party
For New
Democrats, a comprehensive national security framework has always been about
protecting our rights, our freedoms and our safety. In the last number of
years, we are of the opinion that safety has been the only one of those pillars
that has been protected. With technology and threats evolving rapidly, it is
critical the federal government protect Canadians’ privacy and, of course,
their fundamental rights and freedoms.
New
Democrats agree with the findings of the report on the National Security
Framework Review from the Standing Committee on Public Safety and Emergency
Preparedness. However, we feel some critical recommendations were missing to
fully reflect both expert witness testimonies and the position of Canadians
expressed at the open microphone public meetings. As such,
New Democrats add the following recommendations to the report:
- That
the federal government introduce a bill to repeal An Act to enact the Security
of Canada Information Sharing Act and the Secure Air Travel Act, to amend the
Criminal Code, the Canadian Security Intelligence Service Act and the
Immigration and Refugee Protection Act and to make related and consequential
amendments to other Acts (the Anti-terrorism Act, 2015).
- That
the Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness repeal and replace the
current ministerial directive on torture to ensure Canada stands for an
absolute prohibition on torture and specifically that in no circumstances will
Canada use information from foreign countries that could have been obtained
using torture or share information that is likely to result in torture.
- That
the federal government establish a national security and intelligence committee
of parliamentarians and give it full access to classified information without
exempting ministers from the obligation to disclose information protected by
the national security privilege, the power to issue summonses to appear in the
course of its reviews and the power to receive information about ongoing police
investigations.
- That
the federal government explicitly state that no warrant obtained by Canadian
Security Intelligence Service or the Royal Canadian Mounted Police will
authorize a breach of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, other
Canadian legislation, or international human rights law.
- That
the federal government repeal section 83.221 of the Criminal Code, the offence
of knowingly advocating or promoting the commission of terrorism offences in
general, as this section infringes on freedom of expression and freedom of the
press.