Prime Minister Stephen Harper says “draconian” anti-terrorism measures that were scrapped in 2007 are once again necessary because Canada faces a major threat from “Islamicism.”
Interesting fact: the Christian and Missionary Alliance Church, to which Prime Minister Stephen Harper has belonged for decades, believes Jesus Christ will return to Earth in an apocalypse, won’t ordain women, strongly opposes abortion and divorce, condemns homosexuality as the most base of sins and believes those who aren’t born-again are “lost.” Born again in a fundamentalist Christian church of course.
Harper worries about islamicism, which is defined by OED as Islamic fundamentalism. I worry about radical Christian fundamentalism but I don’t want the laws changed to dissuade them from their beliefs, as long as they stay away from me.
Harper is certain that tougher laws are needed to confront terrorism, legislation like the Patriot Act of our southern neighbour. However, American experience is that extra powers are used mostly for police work not in the least associated with terrorism.
This graph from New York Magazine shows “delayed-notice search warrants” issued under the expanded powers of the USA’s Patriot Act, 2006–2009. Special warrants were used for investigations of terrorism in fewer than 1% of occasions.
Perhaps, Canada’s federal politicians will encourage Stephen Harper to calm down and forget the idea of further trespassing on Canadian civil rights.
In the words of Guardian columnist Polly Toynbee, there
“is indeed a clash of civilisations, not between Islam and Christendom but between reason and superstition.”
Categories: Civil Rights, Harper Government
IN-SIGHTS 
More and more Harper sounds like a Nazi, only it isn't Jews he's baiting, rather Islam and those who follow the faith.
Radical any religion is dangerous and I put fundamentalist Christians on the same level as Islamicism. Any fundamental religion is dangerous, in fact I regard all religions as cults, which can be dangerous as well.
The real reason Harper is doing this is to create fear and loathing so the bottom feeders of society will rise up and join Harper and the Conservative party.
LikeLike
Thanks for exposing Harper on this matter. How conveniently timed it is, not to any specific or general threat, but instead to the 9/11 anniversary.
The Canadian media is on the bandwagon, pumping out government propaganda in the guise of “reporting” but virtually no substantive analysis emitting from their quarters.
The arrest statistics helps reveal the general fraud behind the giant public relations campaign for the armaments and “security” industry, otherwise known as the 9/11 anniversary. I'll bet Canada's stats were no better, probably worse — but we'll likely never know because it's harder for us to get data on our own government, than it is for the U.S. to get data on it's government. So much for kinder, gentler, more-principled Canada. Hah!
This armament-security industry “campaign” was planned well in advance of this 9/11 anniversary to try to scare people anew so the people in power can continue to hoodwink the population into mute compliance. Harper's announcement to re-introduce emergency powers of detention without arrest or warrant is but one of many initiatives that will be rammed through behind the foggy veil of fear being pumped out by the media.
By the way, I don't recall Harper having made this commitment to re-introduce the law to permit detention without arrest or warrant in his election campaign of only a few months ago, do you? Did Harper pull a Campbell-HST style fib?? If so, maybe we should start a campaign to get Harper to back down on re-enacting this legislation.
Three cheers for you and the Blogosphere Norm. The mainstream media is increasingly irrelevant and deservedly mistrusted.
LikeLike
I wrote my comments in a hurry. I should have said “powers to search without warrant and detention without charges”, rather than “detention without arrest or warrant”.
The impact is the same, more than mere erosion, these are chunks falling from the bulwark of our civil rights and liberties.
LikeLike
Harper and the rest of the Bilderbergers see the writing on the wall. People are starting to take notice. They see their wages shrinking while the elits profits excel. The Bilderbergers are watching the blogs and listening to cell phone calls and they sense unrest.
I have been reading blogs for a few years now and what I have noticed myself is the rhetoric is beginning to ramp up about governments and their buddies, big business. The new jails he's proposing are for us, we who will voice anti-governmet opinions, congregate, protest and eventually, riot to get the changes we need and want.
LikeLike
RonS…nice to know someone else is seeing the reality of prisons. The only comfort is…we'll be in good company.
As for religion; those who believe in a cruel God, become cruel men/women. Funny, they seem to conveniently forget the Old Testament that keeps telling them to watch for this man to come, this carpenter…and to heed and follow him. The Man of peace, commun-ism, love…and yes…the one who hated greed and waste. Now they're worshipping money, power, waste and greed…and still call themselves “Christian”. I really like this man called Jesus, He is a really nice guy…his followers – not so much.
LikeLike