Tories' crime bill passes in House

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

The Commons: The yellow piece of paper

by Aaron Wherry on Macleans.ca, Wednesday, March 7, 2012
The Scene. Immediately after Question Period, Dean Del Mastro stood to complain that the phrase "exaggerated prevarications," which had been directed at him by the NDP’s Charlie Angus, was unparliamentary.

Regardless of whether this was inbounds—Mr. Angus argued it was and offered to produce a dictionary definition to prove it—it was most certainly an attack, though perhaps not one that Mr. Del Mastro can claim to take personally.

At least so long as he seems to be merely the conduit for what is written on a yellow piece of paper.

On the yellow piece of paper that sat atop Mr. Del Mastro’s desk this day seemed to be written something like the following.

"These outrageous and exaggerated allegations made by the member opposite demean millions of voters who cast legitimate votes in the last election. The opposition paid millions of dollars to make hundreds of thousands of phone calls … Before continuing these baseless smears, they should prove their own callers are not behind these reports." Read full story here

Calls for action increases amid Conservative denials, deflections and blame games

Action Alert:

Avaaz.org has posted the following to encourage Canadians to ask the Commissioner of Canada Elections and the Commissioner of the RCMP for an expanded investigation into election fraud:

"As concerned citizens we urge you to expand your investigation to seek court orders for all the correspondence, directions, and orders placed between customers and Racknine and RMG for calling services on election day and the 5 days leading up to May 2, 2011 to help restore Canada’s democracy."

Over 58,000 people have put their names forward on Avaaz.org . Click here to Sign the petition please!

Conservatives foster a culture of secrecy with more committee meetings going in camera

iPolitics analysis: Behind closed doors?
Posted on Mon, Mar 5, 2012, 5:00 am by Elizabeth Thompson

"The opposition points fingers at the Conservatives. The Conservatives point fingers at previous Liberal governments. They each accuse the other of fostering a culture of secrecy that takes committee meetings in camera and leaves Canadians to wonder what is going on behind closed doors." Click here for more.

Other related stories:

http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/inside-politics-blog/2012/01/in-camera-watch-open-government-closed-committee-meetings.html

Leading journal demands Harper set Canada’s scientists free

HELEN BRANSWELL-TORONTO— The Canadian Press/Globe and Mail-Mar 1'12
"One of the world's leading scientific journals has criticized the federal government for policies that limit its scientists from speaking publicly about their research." Full story here.

Nature criticized the government's approach to openness in the past and argues that strict control on what federal researchers can reveal about their work is a disservice to science and the public.

For more information:
Nature | Canada's government should free its scientists to speak to the press
Webcast of panel discussion
Open letter on iPolitics.ca
Canadian Science Writers' Association open letter

Other related stories:

http://www.cbc.ca/news/technology/story/2012/03/02/nature-science-canada.html

The UK example: Lawful Access legislation is a dangerous invasion of privacy

Reports from the UK Telegraph say British authorities made more than 500,000 requests for confidential communications data in each of the past few years, "equivalent to spying on one in every 78 adults, leading to claims" that Brits "sleepwalked into a surveillance society."

The requests came under an Act allowing law enforcement to gain access to information on individuals who have phoned, emailed, used websites, etc. The legislation was originally enacted for the purpose of combating terrorism and serious crime.

Defenders of the UK Act, like those who tout the Canadian version, say the Act does not allow access to the content of communications, but only the 'traffic' (who you are speaking to, etc.).

The UK example highlights how easy it is for athorities to abuse this type of legislation – in some cases, access powers were used by British authorities to do more than snoop and demonstrates it is indeed a slippery slope. Care is, therefore, required to ensure the proper safeguards are in place before any expansion of police powers is allowed.

See the UK Information Commissioner's full report as well as a breakdown of some of the numbers.

More mainstream and buried coverage of lawful access legislation:

Globe and Mail Story: the comments on this story are also worth the read:
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/opinions/tabatha-southey/ottawa-to-contract-out-spying-but-who-cares-its-only-the-internet/article2075104/

Everyone, please sign the petition located at http://openmedia.ca/StopSpying and please ensure you share it with everyone you know, be FB, Hotmail or on Twitter. We have to step up to the plate, raising the signatures on the petition so Harper and Co. know we are serious.

If you want to write to your MP, you can locate them @ http://www.parl.gc.ca/Parlinfo/Compilations/HouseofCommons/MemberByPostalCode.aspx?Menu=HOC


More information about the Lawful Access is on Maiden Heaven's discussion page called, "Canadian Police State Legislation Needs Closer Examination". You can use a letter she has drawn up. Edit, copy and paste as you will (and if you do edit, please paste the edited letter to the discussion so that others may use it too) It’s located at https://www.facebook.com/openmedia.ca

It is CRITICAL that as many people as possible know about online spying as soon as possible. If people don't understand or seem apathetic, ask them to imagine coming home to find a cop rifling through your home without a warrant, then handing you a bill for their services on their way out the door.

Why Privacy Matters Even if You Have 'Nothing to Hide' – It’s long, but worth the read: http://chronicle.com/article/Why-Privacy-Matters-Even-if/127461/

The government is trying to ram through internet surveillance laws that will invade your privacy and cost you money. The plan is to force every phone and Internet provider to surrender our personal information to "authorities" without a warrant.The Privacy Commissioner of Canada, Jennifer Stoddart, along with every provincial and territory Privacy Commissioner, has written of their concerns for the loss of Our privacy under the Lawful access bill. http://www.priv.gc.ca/media/nr-c/2011/let_110309_e.cfm

This bizarre legislation will create Internet surveillance that is:

* Warrantless: A range of "authorities" will have the ability to invade the private lives of law-abiding Canadians and our families using wired Internet and mobile devices, without a warrant or any justification.
* Invasive and Dangerous: The laws leave our personal and financial information less secure and more susceptible to cybercrime.
* Costly: Internet services providers may be forced to install millions of dollars worth of spying technology and the cost will be passed down to YOU.
　
Meanwhile in other news, we Canucks get to subsidize big oil again
http://www.vancouversun.com/business/Feds+Alberta+commit+million+Shell+Scotford+carbon+capture+project/5003331/story.html

Harper government denies the reality of Lawful Access legislation

Round Two on Lawfull Access

In a statement sent to the Financial Post via email Friday evening, a spokesperson from Public Safety Canada said the legislation follows similar policies recently adopted by other countries such as the United States, Australia, Germany and Sweden.
“The former Bill C-52, the Investigating and Preventing Criminal Electronic Communications Act, was created to help keep Canadians safe from those who would use communications technology in their pursuit of criminal or terrorist activities while not infringing on the Rights of law abiding Canadians,” the statement said.
“This Government is committed to providing law enforcement and national security agencies with the tools they need to prevent, investigate and prosecute serious crimes, including terrorism, in today’s modern and fast-paced technological environment.”

Read full story:

http://business.financialpost.com/2011/06/24/canadian-lawful-access-laws-come-at-too-high-a-price-critics-argue/

NDP MPs Angus & Sandhu write to Toews: Online spying bills are "disturbing"
Source: OpenMedia

"The question is not whether abuse would occur, but how widespread such abuse would be," say Angus and Sandhu in their letter to Public Safety Minister Vic Toews, written in response to proposed online spying legislation (Lawful Access):
Lawful Access: NDP MP Charlie Angus' Letter to Public Safety Minister Vic Toews

Stop Online Spying!

OpenMedia for Immediate Release

These bills will hurt your wallet and your privacy
‏

The government is trying to push through an anti-Internet set of electronic surveillance laws that will invade your privacy and cost you money. They’re calling it "Lawful" Access -- we're calling it warrantless, invasive, costly, and poorly thought out.

The plan is to force every phone and Internet provider to surrender our personal information to "authorities" without a warrant.

This bizarre legislation will create Internet surveillance that is:

• Warrantless: If these bills pass, we're looking at a future where a range of “authorities” will have the ability to invade the private lives of law-abiding Canadians and our families using wired Internet and mobile devices, without any justification.
• Invasive: This is a radical break from existing safeguards and leaves our personal and financial information less secure and more susceptible to cybercrime. Who will ensure that our personal information is not misused or stolen?  
• Costly: Internet services providers will be forced to install millions of dollars of spying technology and the cost will be passed down to YOU.

Besides all this, the bills are poorly written, use vague terms, and provide dangerously unchecked powers to government. In fact, every single provincial privacy commissioner has stepped up to criticize them.

If enough of us speak out now the government will have no choice but to stop this mandatory online spying scheme.

Sign the Stop Online Spying petition now, and forward it to everyone you know.

For the Internet,
Steve, Reilly, Lindsey, Glyn, and Shea -- The OpenMedia.ca Team
PS: OpenMedia.ca depends on the support of Canadians like you to continue our fight for a more open and affordable Internet. Please consider a gift to OpenMedia.ca to help us in our work. Visit http://openmedia.ca/give to chip in.

SOURCES:
The Globe And Mail: Bill C-51 will turn ISPs into Internet gatekeepers
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/technology/digital-culture/dwayne-winseck/bill-c-51-will-turn-isps-into-internet-gatekeepers/article2059908/
TVO’s Search Engine: It's Time to Worry About Lawful Access
http://www.tvo.org/cfmx/tvoorg/searchengine/index.cfm?page_id=613&action=blog&subaction=viewpost&blog_id=485&post_id=15829
Michael Geist: Web Surveillance Legislation Requires Study, Not Speed
http://www.michaelgeist.ca/content/view/5808/135/
Canadian Privacy Law Blog: Canadian police state legislation needs closer examination
http://blog.privacylawyer.ca/2011/04/canadian-police-state-legislation-needs.html
Letter to Public Safety Canada from Canada's Privacy Commissioners and Ombudspersons on the current 'Lawful Access' proposals
http://www.priv.gc.ca/media/nr-c/2011/let_110309_e.cfm
From Maiden Heaven and others on the OpenMedia.ca Facebook Discussion Boards: Canadian police state legislation needs closer examination
http://www.facebook.com/topic.php?uid=173437729758&topic=16926

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Bob Rae confirmed right man for the top job

By Bobbie Saga

It’s official. Bob Rae was confirmed the right man for the job of interim leader of the Liberal Party of Canada.

Rae was chosen interim leader by the national board of  the Liberal party following a vote amongst 34 elected Mps and 45 sitting senators. The board met in Ottawa Wednesday where, after a two-hour caucus meeting, it picked Toronto PM Rae to lead the party for the next 18 to 22 months.

With his decision to take on interim leadership, Rae has taken himself out of the running for the permanent Liberal  leadership position. Earlier this month a plan was drafted by the board stipulating an interim leader must solemnly renounce, in writing, any intention of seeking the permanent leadership, plus make a vow not to pursue any discussions about a possible merger of the Liberals with the NDP.

Rae, with his wife at his side, smiled and accepted the new, temporary job. He told reporters he is honoured to have the position, but knows the job will not be easy after the federal election that saw the party reduced to third party status.

"I’m very happy to have this responsibility," Rae said during the announcement.

He added his focus will be rebuilding the Liberal brand, saying his first priority will be to re-engage with the grass roots of the party, then focus on policies such as health care and national unity.

"We simply have to - if I can coin a phrase - pick ourselves up, dust ourselves off and start all over again… to really engage with members in riding associations and local communities about what the challenges are that are facing them, " Rae said.

The Liberal leadership announcement was followed closely with today's announcement by Prime Minister Stephen Harper that his government intends to eliminate Canada's per vote subsidy. Phase-out plans and details are to be announced June 6.

Brought in by former Liberal Prime Minister Jean Chrétien in an effort to make a more democratic system, critics charge the elimination of the per vote subsidy is going beneifit Conservatives through big business and power broker, tax deductable donations, while at the same time, have a defistating impact on smaller, less funded or connected parties, and at a greater cost to taxpayers.

© Saga Times 2011

Read More:
http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/politics/article/996650--rae-takes-over-the-liberal-reins
http://fullcomment.nationalpost.com/2011/05/25/john-ivison-rae-takes-command-of-a-party-searching-for-a-soul/
http://www2.macleans.ca/tag/per-vote-subsidy/