By Meagan Fitzpatrick, CBC News Posted: Mar 12, 2012
The Conservative government's controversial crime bill has passed a final vote in the House of Commons, a few days later than the government expected.
The Tories had planned to pass Bill C-10 last Wednesday, but the NDP was able to delay the last day of debate until Friday and push the final vote to Monday. Read Full Article Here
Lobbyists Behind Omnibus Crime Bill Aimed at Privatizing Prisons
By Min Reyes Posted: January 30, 2012
In a period of declining crime rate and supposedly out of hand national deficit, Canadians are beginning to wonder why our government is so intent on passing such a costly legislation that challenges the most basic reasoning. There has not been one reasonable justification for the Harper Government’s Omnibus Crime Bill. That is until one connects the dots…
the Justice Policy Institute (JPI) released a report chronicling the political strategies of private prison companies "working to make money through harsh policies and longer sentences." The report’s authors note that while the total number of people in prison increased less than 16 percent, the number of people held in private federal and state facilities increased by 120 and 33 percent, correspondingly. Government spending on corrections has soared since 1997 by 72 percent, up to $74 billion in 2007. And the private prison industry has raked in tremendous profits. Last year the two largest private prison companies — Corrections Corporation of America (CCA) and GEO Group — made over $2.9 billion in revenue. [ source ]
According the Justice Policy Institute, there are two major corporations at play in the political sphere of private correctional services: Corrections Corporation of America and The GEO Group Inc. What you do not know is that GEO Group Inc. is an active registered lobbyist that deals with the following branches of the Canadian Federal Government:
- Correctional Service of Canada (CSC)
- Public Safety Canada (PS)
- Public Works and Government Services Canada (PWGSC)
- Public-Private Partnerships Canada, Solicitor General Canada (SGC)
We urge you read through the reports and articles below and put the Omnibus Crime Bill in perspective. What is the relation between GEO Group Inc. and the Harper Government’s unreasonable, unjustifiable Bill C-10? Read Full Article Here
Three problematic pieces of legislation are currently going through Canada’s Parliament that should be of concern to all Canadians.
Bill C-10 is commonly referred to as the Omnibus Crime Bill. It recently passed the Green Chamber of the House of Commons with little debate, and as of Feb. 22, it is now in the Conservative stacked Senate process. This bill is a plethora of US, Republican-style, failed policies.
Bill C-11 is Canada’s version of the US SOPA/PIPA legislation concerning digital lockdowns. This type of legislation recently prompted Wikipedia to shut down its website for 24 hours, or on what was dubbed "black Wednesday." The legislation, recently tabled in the House, is flying under the Canadian public’s radar.
Bill C-30, formerly and commonly known as lawful access legislation, got a name change last week to Protecting Children From Predators Act. Unlike C-11, it is finally getting much-warranted mainstream media attention. Currently, there is a growing backlash from the public about this bill, and with good reason. It's a resounding call for the federal government to kill Bill C-30, but despite this, PM Harper announced Sunday he sent the bill to committee for revisions, a committee whereby the Conservatives will determine what revisions will be made.
In totality, the bills are very disturbing because all three undermine the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. Thus, every Canadian is encouraged to spend a little time to become informed about all three very important pieces of legislation. What follows are links to sites that will give people information, mostly on C-30. Other information may be obtained via these links, as well as by a Google search based on the name of the other two bills. Become informed and speak out. Also, please share information with others. Canada’s future is in our hands, not the federal Conservatives.
The egregious C-30 legislation:
http://www.documentcloud.org/documents/292611-bill-c-30.html
Bill C-10 (A bundle of crime and justice bills):
http://www.parl.gc.ca/LegisInfo/BillDetails.aspx?Language=E&Mode=1&billId=5120829
Bill C-11 (An Act to Amend the Copyright Act or the Copyright Modernization Act):
http://www.parl.gc.ca/LegisInfo/BillDetails.aspx?Language=E&Mode=1&billId=5134851
Cutting through the rhetoric of lawful access legislation. A story of vital concern to every Canadian:
http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/story/2012/02/16/pol-vp-terry-milewski-bill-c30.html
Hear what the experts say:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xyHnOCDewuQ&feature=player_embedded
For more information visit:
http://www.unlawfulaccess.net/
Cutting through the rhetoric of the Omnibus Crime Bill. A news video worth watching:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xTqD8KbmevA&feature=related
More cutting through the rhetoric of lawful access (three other stories worth reading):
http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/story/2012/02/21/pol-c30-surveillance-caution.html
http://openmedia.ca/blog/surveillance-expert-chris-parsons-dismantles-lawful-access-phone-book-comparison
http://blogs.canada.com/2012/02/15/can-you-spot-the-difference-on-lawful-access-bill/
Sign the Petition on C-30 or send a message to the minister with respect to Bill C-11 or a message to provincial senators on Bill C-10 located at:
http://stopspying.ca/ and http://openmedia.ca/lockdown and http://leadnow.ca/keep-canada-safe
