The government's new anti-terror bill will not be used to declare the G8 summit site in Kananaskis a military security zone, Defence Minister Art Eggleton said yesterday amid calls for the proposed legislation to be killed.
The Bloc Québécois and the Conservatives put the Liberals on the hotseat, arguing the scaled-back bill, introduced to replace a piece of legislation that was withdrawn last week, still does nothing to ease the government's assault on civil liberties.
"This is a very offensive piece of legislation," said Tory leader Joe Clark, who held a news conference calling on the government to repeal the bill because it still gives individual cabinet ministers too much power over the lives of Canadians.
The Bloc agreed the bill gives ministers too much discretion to singlehandedly take action in the name of national security, particularly by retaining powers to designate military zones in order to protect soldiers and equipment.
Mr. Eggleton argued there are safeguards in place so Canadians who don't like the new laws can challenge them in court.
"The government and legislation is challenged all the time if people feel it has gone beyond what it is reasonably allowed to do within a legal framework," he told reporters outside the Commons.
The new bill replaced Bill C-42, which was killed following complaints, even from the government's own backbenches, that it was too broad.
The changes include softening a provision that allowed the government to designate any part of Canada a military security zone, which was criticized for giving politicians the ability to bar protesters from events such as the upcoming G8 leaders' summit in Kananaskis, Alta., in June. The zones are replaced in the new bill with smaller "controlled access military zones," limiting their use to protecting soldiers and their equipment.
But opposition critics argued the wording is so vague the government can still declare areas of Canada off-limits if they are being patrolled by soldiers or if a military tank is present.
Mr. Eggleton gave assurances that would not be done in Kananaskis, where the military's role will be limited to backup for the RCMP, the lead summit security agency.
The Canadian Alliance is satisfied the main problems of the bill have been addressed, said interim Opposition leader John Reynolds after question period.
Mr. Clark said the new bill is not needed, because Parliament can already use the Emergencies Act to fight terrorists. That legislation gives the entire Parliament a voice in any action, unlike the new bill that puts decision making in the hands of the cabinet, he said.
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