Wednesday, February 28, 2007

What a difference five years makes.


Gosh ... back then, he was such an adorable young man (emphasis added):

Minister proposes 'sunset clause' for anti-terrorism bill
Last Updated: Wednesday, November 21, 2001 | 12:33 PM ET

The most controversial sections of Canada's proposed anti-terrorism bill will have a time limit, Justice Minister Anne McLellan said on Tuesday.

Speaking before the Commons Justice and Human Rights Committee, McLellan said the government was proposing Bill C-36 be amended to include a sunset clause on powers of preventive arrest and investigative hearings.

She also proposed changes to the definition of terrorist activity contained in the bill...

McLellan also noted that objections have been raised to the definition of terrorist activity contained in the bill.

The original bill excluded lawful activities such as protests, demonstrations or work stoppages from the definition. McLellan suggested removing the word "lawful" so even things such as illegal strikes wouldn't be caught up in the definition of terrorism.

"By taking out the modifier 'lawful,' we will clarify the intent of the government and reassure those who might otherwise be concerned that unlawful activity, but activity that falls well short of terrorist activity, would ever be caught by this legislation," she said.

She also proposed other amendments to the definition intended to prevent hate crimes.

Conservative Peter MacKay says there's still nothing in the bill to distinguish between Nelson Mandela – who on Monday became an honorary Canadian citizen – and a terrorist.

"Mr. Mandela would not have been given honorary citizenship," MacKay said. "He would have been arrested upon arrival under this particular bill."

Why, yes, that is the same Peter MacKay, expressing concern over how an overly broad, draconian and badly-worded security bill might be misinterpreted or abused to inappropriately prosecute innocent people who have nothing to do with actual terrorism.

Time sure flies when you're having your sense of moderation, nuance and perspective surgically removed in order that you can work for Stephen Harper, doesn't it?

BONUS TRACK: It's so much fun to pop into the wayback machine every so often:

Another Liberal breaks ranks over anti-terror bill
Last Updated Wed, 28 Nov 2001 09:12:02 EST
...
Conservative Peter Mackay is also critical of C-36. As a safeguard, the proposed bill compels the justice minister to make annual reports to Parliament on its use.

"Where are those checks and balances? Parliament? Question period? Debate in the house? We've seen what happened today. If that's the checks and balances, I'm afraid," said Mackay.

Wow. Question period? Debate? An insistence on checks and balances? Apparently, that's before they replaced Peter MacKay with a jar of Folger's Crystals. Dontcha just hate it when that happens?

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

That's very important evidence of hypocrisy.

Good work.

Mike said...

OMFG...great catch CC...of course Petey was a Progressive Conservative back then and now is a slack-jawed, mouth breathing Reformer...

Anonymous said...

uh oh. maybe he's devolving and next year he'll be dragging his knuckles across the floor of the house to sit as an Independape.