How much more do we need to know about Bill C-51

Global Research: "As its critics have shown, the bill isn’t really about terrorism: it’s about smearing other activities by association—and then suppressing them in ways that would formerly have been flagrantly illegal. The bill targets, among others, people who defend the treaty rights of First Nations, people who oppose tar sands, fracking, and bitumen-carrying pipelines as threats to health and the environment, and people who urge that international law be peacefully applied to ending Israel’s illegal occupation of Palestinian territories. (Members of this latter group include significant numbers of Canadian Jews.)"

22 minutes - Connie on Anti-Terror Legislation - Youtube 
For some of Marg Walsh's transcribed text go to Ceasefire here.

Global News - Trudeau says Harper government fostering fear and prejudice against Muslims

The Tyee: Six Things Protesters Need to Know about Bill C-51.
"Canada's privacy commissioner, ex-CSIS officials, former prime ministers and international whistleblower Edward Snowden have all raised alarm about the bill's impacts on Canadians' freedom and privacy. Lawyers at the B.C. Civil Liberties Association have gone over the bill paragraph by paragraph, and we've outlined the parts of this document that concern us most."

Rabble.ca, Marc Zwelling "As civil liberties advocates insist, Bill C-51 turns the Canadian Security and Intelligence Service (CSIS) into an enemy of the people. The bill allows the authorities to spy on anyone they feel threatens the "security of Canadians." Such a broad definition of a security threat smears picketers, writers and protesters as terrorists."


Elizabeth May: Harper's anti-terror law will turn Canada into a police state
"Acts of terrorism are a threat. They are criminal acts of horrific cruelty and sadism. Luring of disenfranchised, disenchanted, alienated Canadians into their barbaric crusade must be addressed, but the new law, C-51, is not primarily an anti-terrorism law. And legal experts are already pointing out it "undermines more promising avenues of addressing terrorism." (Bill C-51 backgrounder, Professors Kent Roach and Craig Forcese)


Daniel Leblanc, Globe and Mail "A parliamentary committee will hear from strong supporters and vocal critics of the government’s anti-terrorism bill, but not from four former prime ministers who have decried the lack of increased oversight in the legislation" ... “What we have seen so far from both ministers is a tendency to wave the fear flag rather than discuss the contents of the bill,” said the NDP’s public safety critic. “With a two-hour session with the ministers and all their officials, we are not likely to get very far.”

CBC: Bill C-51: Privacy watchdog Daniel Therrien blocked from committee witness list.

During Tuesday's meeting, New Democrat MP Randall Garrison attempted to get unanimous consent for a motion to add a one-hour session with Therrien to the meeting schedule, but he was rebuffed by the Conservatives.

CBC: Bill C-51 hearings: Diane Ablonczy's questions to Muslim group 'McCarthyesque'
Ihsaan Gardee, (ED of NCCM): "First and foremost, I'll say on the record that NCCM has condemned violent terrorism and extremism in all of its forms, regardless of who perpetrates it for whatever reason," he told the committee. However, the premise of your question is false, and entirely based on innuendo and misinformation."
Gardee pointed to the group's history as an independent, non-profit, grassroots Canadian Muslim civil liberties organization with a "robust and public" track record.
"These are precisely the types of slanderous statements that have resulted in litigation that is ongoing," he said, including a defamation lawsuit launched last year against the Prime Minister's Office over "false statements" linking the group to Hamas made by now-former spokesman Jason MacDonald.

Stuart Trew, Rabble: Civil liberties, First Nation rights compromised by C-51, committee hears

"First Nations are already labelled as terrorists when they stand up for their rights to land, clean water and sovereignty, said (Chief Perry) Bellegarde, a point made by earlier witnesses, and especially Greenpeace, in relation to anti-pipeline battles. He also emphasized that First Nations rights were violated already by the process in which C-51 is making its way through Parliament -- without the government's prior consultation with Canada's First Nations as per Section 35 of the Charter. Bellegarde asked the government to withdraw the legislation and develop a process with First Nations by which all federal legislation impacting the assertion of Section 35 rights can be reviewed.""