Richmond Hill, Ontario - 30 January 2015
Prime Minister Stephen Harper today announced that the Government has introduced legislation to protect Canadians from the evolving threat of terrorism and keep our communities safe. The Prime Minister made the announcement at Richmond Hill’s Bayview Hill Community Centre. He was joined by Peter MacKay, Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada, Steven Blaney, Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness, and Julian Fantino, Associate Minister of National Defence.
The world is a dangerous place and, as most brutally demonstrated by last October’s attacks in Ottawa and Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, Canada is not immune to the threat of terrorism. The proposed legislation will provide Canadian law enforcement and national security agencies with additional tools and flexibility to keep pace with evolving threats and better protect Canadians here at home.
In line with measures taken by our allies, the Government is taking additional action to ensure our law enforcement and national security agencies can: counter those who advocate terrorism; prevent terrorist travel and the efforts of those who seek to use Canada as a recruiting ground; and disrupt planned attacks on Canadian soil.
The proposed legislation includes checks and balances to ensure it respects the rights of Canadians and complements other legislation passed by our Government in order to better protect Canadians and secure institutions, including the Combating Terrorism Act and the Strengthening Canadian Citizenship Act.
The proposed legislation includes a comprehensive package of measures that will:
- criminalize the advocacy or promotion of terrorism offences in general;
- counter terrorist recruitment by giving our courts the authority to order the removal of terrorist propaganda online;
- enhance the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS)’s powers to address threats to the security of Canada while ensuring that courts maintain oversight;
- provide law enforcement agencies with enhanced ability to disrupt terrorism offences and terrorist activity;
- enhance the Passenger Protect Program by further mitigating threats to transportation security and preventing travel by air for the purpose of engaging in terrorism;
- make it easier for law enforcement agencies to detain suspected terrorists before they can harm Canadians and to toughen penalties for violating court ordered conditions on terrorist suspects;
- enable the effective and responsible sharing of relevant national security information across federal departments and agencies to better identify and address threats;
- Although not part of this proposed legislation, we are also working with communities to prevent radicalization and intervene when individuals show signs of becoming radicalized.
- ensure that national security agencies are better able to protect and use classified information when denying entry and status to non-citizens who pose a threat to Canada; and,
- provide witnesses and other participants in national security proceedings and prosecutions with additional protection.
