Protesters gathered around the country this past weekend at rallies against the federal government's anti-terrorism bill.
In denouncing what they call a "secret police bill," protesters exercised basic civil rights in associating and expressing what they see as wrong-headed legislation. But recent revelations about Canada's spy agency keeping tabs on protesters raise serious questions about how the bill could put a chill on such actions in the future.
The bill itself broadens police powers and allows them to detain terrorism suspects, as well as giving new powers to CSIS without any civilian oversight.
This bill plays to people's fears of the unknown and blows the small risks faced by the average citizen out of proportion.
More concerning, however, is the vagueness with which threats to national security are defined. There are real fears that such definitions could blow with the ideological wind - something validated by the government's apparent need to spy on those speaking against pipeline projects.
Environmentalists and First Nations activists have been especially concerned in light of the apparent monitoring of their activities. As they should be. And, of course, as reported here on Wednesday, a professor at SFU came under close scrutiny by the RCMP when he just snapped some photos of Kinder Morgan's property on Burnaby Mountain.
Tim Takaro's daughter received the phone call from the RCMP who informed her that they wanted to speak with her dad. Takaro, who has spoken against the proposed Kinder Morgan pipeline, sees a relationship between Bill-C51 and what he considers intimidation by the RCMP.
Information so far points to a too-wide interpretation of a serious threat, and a too-narrow concept of legitimate dissent.
At our most cynical, we'd suggest this is largely an election-year stunt meant to fire up the Conservative base and help return their party to office this fall. It may very well work.
But the trouble is, all Canadians will live with the bill's consequences long after the election is over.
Protesters, meanwhile, should probably keep watch over their shoulders and not be surprised if they get a phone call from the RCMP.
