Catherine’s World
 
 
Good News for Canadians! Good News for Civil Rights! by Catherine Whelan Costen Although the mainstream press is choosing to report the small victory for Canadians as another battle lost for the new conservatives, Canadians should not miss this opportunity. On Tuesday February 27,2007 democracy showed signs of life on Capital Hill! It is reported in the Globe and Mail: “In a vote of 159 to 124, the combined opposition defeated a Conservative minority government motion that would have renewed the extraordinary legal powers of authorities to detain and interrogate terrorism suspects.” ...”The Prime Minister's tone did not change Tuesday. He said Mr. Dion “denigrates the police in this country.”” Once again we are being treated to the ‘us against them’ mentality. Rather than show the respect due another member of parliament for standing for the rights of the people, the report shows the disrespect typical of children who don’t get their way. Many Canadians realize that security does not come from living in a society that fears its own people. How does standing up for civil rights for all Canadians, including police officers, members of parliament and public at large amount to denigrating the police? After all who is a suspect? What makes anyone a suspect? Free societies do not lock people up for their thoughts, nor simply because someone else ‘suspects’ them of perhaps doing something, sometime in the future? That is an atmosphere based on fear. This entire legislation was a reactive measure based on fear and hype. On what basis does standing for freedom denigrate any police force? That is such a silly unconnected statement, unless of course we want to live in a ‘police state’? Take a look at some of the issues I brought forward to the Senate Committee in Oct. 2005, which still need to be addressed. article.php Rather than celebrate this victory for all, we do however need to recognize it is only a small part of returning to our pre-911 state of freedom. Civil Liberty should not be taken for granted. The article makes very clear that, some members will continue to attempt to further enslave us. We need to be vigilant in ensuring that the progress is positive and doesn’t further erode. While Dion is taking the flak for this, the NDP as well as the Bloc stood for Canadians. So we should be reinforcing the importance of this by commending their decision to vote for our freedom! Let’s not get caught up in their atmosphere of childish tantrums and name calling. The right thing to do should not depend on a popularity contest! The Globe article: http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20070228.wterror28/BNStory/National/?cid=al_gam_nletter_newsUphttp://www.vivelecanada.ca/article.php?story=20051016012345314&query=anti-terrorism%2Blegislationhttp://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20070228.wterror28/BNStory/National/?cid=al_gam_nletter_newsUpshapeimage_1_link_0shapeimage_1_link_1
“Great spirits have often encountered violent opposition from weak minds.”
Albert Einstein
Wednesday, February 28, 2007
Good News for Canadians! Good News for Civil Rights!