[All] FW from Amnesty International: 7 reasons to stop Bill C-51 from becoming law

Tue Mar 10 11:07:10 EDT 2015

Dear Friends,

I'm very worried about this bully of a bill and consider it a real threat to our democracy.  Recently our local birdwatchers club, Waterloo Region Nature, was subjected to an intimidating CRA audit just because it had sent a letter of concern over neonicotinoid pesticides to Environment Canada. Vladimir Putin's favourite weapon for silencing critical civil society organizations is to drum up phoney tax evasion charges and sentence the executive members at crooked trials to 5-7 years in jail.  I'm concerned that we now have Putin Lite in Canada.  And I am quite certain that CSIS' use of new technology will be far more sneaky and effective than it used to be.  Years ago a friend involved with a civil society concern became suspicious about clicking sounds on her phone and complained to her phone company.  They agreed to investigate and responded a few days later with "Mrs. X, you're just upset because of your divorce"!

Beware of the Leviathan's ears!

Please consider signing onto this petition or joining your nearest Amnesty-sponsored protest gathering this Saturday, March 14.

- Greg
________________________________
From: Amnesty International Canada [members at amnesty.ca]
Sent: Monday, March 09, 2015 5:22 PM
To: Gregory C. Michalenko
Subject: 7 reasons to stop Bill C-51 from becoming law

Stop Bill C-51
[http://www.e-activist.com/ea-campaign/action.retrievefile.do?ea_fileid=44433] <http://www.e-activist.com/ea-action/broadcast.record.message.click.do?ea.url.id=371425&ea.campaigner.email=ztYy7iXJ%2FcCd9wAzowdKwfdqbGUukCQJ&ea.campaigner.id=PEa4ArEBsfWZkArzVWMSmA==&ea_broadcast_target_id=0> [https://aaf1a18515da0e792f78-c27fdabe952dfc357fe25ebf5c8897ee.ssl.cf5.rackcdn.com/1770/Bill_31_Action_600.jpg] <http://www.e-activist.com/ea-action/broadcast.record.message.click.do?ea.url.id=371426&ea.campaigner.email=ztYy7iXJ%2FcCd9wAzowdKwfdqbGUukCQJ&ea.campaigner.id=PEa4ArEBsfWZkArzVWMSmA==&ea_broadcast_target_id=0>  <http://e-activist.com/ea-action/action?ea.client.id=1770&ea.campaign.id=17317>
Canada's proposed security bill C-51 puts your human rights at risk

7 reasons to speak up and prevent this bill from becoming law - take action<http://www.e-activist.com/ea-action/broadcast.record.message.click.do?ea.url.id=371427&ea.campaigner.email=ztYy7iXJ%2FcCd9wAzowdKwfdqbGUukCQJ&ea.campaigner.id=PEa4ArEBsfWZkArzVWMSmA==&ea_broadcast_target_id=0>.

Dear Dr Greg,

The new Anti-Terrorism Act, Bill C-51, proposes a massive overhaul to Canada’s national security laws. The government’s attempt to rush the legislation through a parliamentary committee was met with widespread calls to increase the amount of public scrutiny these new measures should receive.

Four former Canadian Prime Ministers, together with 18 eminent Canadians, including former Supreme Court judges, have expressed concern that the lack of robust and integrated accountability for Canada’s national security agencies poses serious problems for both public safety and human rights.

Amnesty International agrees. We have identified 7 key human rights concerns about the widely expanded powers and new criminal offences within the proposed legislation.

>> Please speak out with Canadians who care about human rights, and call for Public Safety Minister Steven Blaney to withdraw Bill C-51<http://www.e-activist.com/ea-action/broadcast.record.message.click.do?ea.url.id=371428&ea.campaigner.email=ztYy7iXJ%2FcCd9wAzowdKwfdqbGUukCQJ&ea.campaigner.id=PEa4ArEBsfWZkArzVWMSmA==&ea_broadcast_target_id=0>

Governments have not only the right, but the responsibility to respond to concerns about threats and attacks – including terrorism – and protect their citizens. But not at any cost.

Anti-terrorism laws cannot put human rights second to security, and absolutely must not be used to target or have disproportionate impact on individuals and groups exercising their fundamental rights to freedom of religion, expression and association.

Join Amnesty’s call to withdraw Bill C-51<http://www.e-activist.com/ea-action/broadcast.record.message.click.do?ea.url.id=371429&ea.campaigner.email=ztYy7iXJ%2FcCd9wAzowdKwfdqbGUukCQJ&ea.campaigner.id=PEa4ArEBsfWZkArzVWMSmA==&ea_broadcast_target_id=0>.

Sincerely,

[alex_sig.gif]

Alex Neve,
Secretary General, Amnesty International Canada

P.S. Laws intendend to protect us from threats should not put our human rights at risk. National security reforms must met Canada's human rights obligations. Please take action and share this widely<http://www.e-activist.com/ea-action/broadcast.record.message.click.do?ea.url.id=371430&ea.campaigner.email=ztYy7iXJ%2FcCd9wAzowdKwfdqbGUukCQJ&ea.campaigner.id=PEa4ArEBsfWZkArzVWMSmA==&ea_broadcast_target_id=0>. Share this link:  www.amnesty.ca/withdrawC51

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