OTTAWA - The federal government's new anti-terrorism bill couldn't be used to prevent protests at international conferences such as the upcoming G-8 summit to be held in Alberta, Defence Minister Art Eggleton said on Monday.
The government unveiled Bill C-55, the Public Safety Act, on Monday. It replaces Bill C-42, the bill introduced last fall in the wake of the terrorist attacks on the United States. Bill C-42 was withdrawn earlier this month after widespread criticism that its anti-terrorism measures went too far.
That criticism came from both the opposition and the backbenches of the Liberal government, in part for provisions it contained that would allow the minister of defence to declare any area in the country a military zone and send in the army.
Critics were concerned the government could use that power to suppress legitimate forms of protest and prevent demonstrations at events such as international summits.
The new bill limits that power. Under the provisions of the act, the defence minister can only declare such military zones in order to protect military equipment, either Canadian or belonging to an ally, Eggleton said.
Eggleton said that means Kananaskis, Alberta, can't be declared a military zone in order to protect the G-8 summit in June.
The ministers of health and environment can still issue interim orders without approval from the Commons, but those orders have to be tabled in Parliament within 15 days.
Other measures in the bill deal with airport security, such as more screening within airplanes and airports including control towers and employees with security passes.
The bill also allows access by CSIS and the RCMP to airline passenger information.
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