I am hugely worried about Bill C-51 and the railroading/non-democratic process our current government is using to finalize this bill. The more I learn about this bill, the less I like it, the less I trust our government and enforcement agencies. And I’m learning that my experience agrees hugely with the rising tide of public opinion against C-51.
Our current government and enforcement agencies have demonstrated to me, again and again, that when they get power of any kind they have and will abuse it — for their own political benefit and against the people they are supposedly serving.
Thanks to a CBC commenter, a sampling of our current government’s recent misuses of power includes:
• Barred government privacy watchdog from testifying in C-51 committee;
• Put ruling party in charge of elections;
• Muzzled and de-funded Elections Canada;
• Added 30 ridings in Conservative areas;
• Limited debate of bills and sent them to Conservatives-only committees;
• Repeatedly crafted massive omnibus bills and did not give MPs time to review them;
• Muzzled and de-funded scientists;
• Restricted public access to information;
• Made the RCMP answer to government;
• Stopped NAFTA scrutiny of environmental effects of the tar sands;
• Demonized environmentalists, Muslims, aboriginals, democracy activists;
• Told Parliament that Canadian troops would not do combat in Iraq, then sent them into combat;
• First government in over 100 years in the 54-member Commonwealth of Nations to be in contempt of Parliament — effectively, in contempt multiple times;
• Used the Canadian spy agency to monitor targets for special corporate interests.
Adding Bill C-51 to the above without adequate parliamentary review and oversight leaves me more worried and fearful of our own government and protection agencies.
We need to stop C-51 now, before it’s too late!
Larry Bridle
Nelson