HOUSE OF COMMONS
JUNE 21, 2002
ORAL QUESTION
Ms. Alexa McDonough (Halifax, NDP): Mr. Speaker, the government has created a parameter of fear and denial around Kananaskis, denying visas to international delegates, denying accreditation to journalists and denying access to civic leaders once applauded by the government. Criminalizing dissent suffocates democracy. Instead of learning the lessons from APEC the government is once again trampling citizens' rights to peaceful protest and democratic dissent, the very life blood of a free and democratic society. Is freedom of expression respected and protected in this country today only when one thinks like the Prime Minister?
Right Hon. Jean Chrétien (Prime Minister, Lib.): Mr. Speaker, the security of the summit is the responsibility of the RCMP. For people who want to come to Canada there is a process under the law that they have to fill certain requirements to get a visa when visas are needed and so on. It is administered by the different departments who are responsible without any government intervention.
Ms. Alexa McDonough (Halifax, NDP): Mr. Speaker, we say very clearly that violent protest is unacceptable, period, but why can the government not understand that its confrontational and provocative strategies reward those seeking confrontation. It actually fuels violence. Why can it not see that quashing peaceful protest and criminalizing dissent is like handing live ammunition to the tiny extremist element otherwise isolated on the outer fringes. How can the Prime Minister, after three decades, not understand that?
Right Hon. Jean Chrétien (Prime Minister, Lib.): Mr. Speaker, in Canada we have always welcomed expression of opinion everywhere but we want that to be done orderly. Myself, I started my career by organizing a demonstration against Duplessis in Quebec. It was a very democratic act. When I am travelling in Canada some people sometimes come out, have signs and protest. I read them and accept that but all that has to be done in order while making sure that the property of individuals is well protected by the police who have the duty to make sure that the citizens of Canada are safe.
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
JUNE 21, 2002
BLAIKIE OUTRAGED OVER
THE DENIAL OF G8 ACCREDITATION
OTTAWA - NDP Justice Critic Bill Blaikie expressed his outrage today over the denial of press accreditation for a number of individuals seeking to attend the G8 summit in Calgary next week.
"All of these individuals have one thing in common, that they hold views that are critical of the government endorsed program of corporate globalization," said Blaikie. "There appears to be no other reason for denying them credentials."
Individuals who have been denied accreditation include Jamey Heath, a former NDP candidate in Ottawa-Centre, Elaine Brière, an award winning filmmaker and photojournalist from Vancouver, hired to cover the event by the Canadian Labour Congress, Dan Rubinstein of the Edmonton-based magazine Vue and Pam Foster of the Upstream Journal. The RCMP gave no reasons for withholding accreditation and there is no possibility of appealing these decisions before the Summit begins.
"What is so worrisome is that there doesn't appear to be any accountability or transparency in terms of how these decisions were made. The RCMP do not have to justify these decisions to anyone, except to their political boss, the Solicitor General," continued Blaikie.
The NDP Justice Critic called on Solicitor General Lawrence MacAuley and the RCMP "to change their attitude, and break with the pattern of disrespect, stifling and criminalization of dissent that Canadians have experienced since APEC. Further, by discouraging legitimate critics of the current model of globalization the government is playing into the hands of those who favour violence."