- OTTAWA - Opposition parties
say the new anti-terror legislation goes too far and doesn't respect individual
rights.
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- 'The civil servants will have all the power. This is
unacceptable.' The Progressive Conservatives and the Bloc Québécois
both say the second round of anti-terror measures introduced on Thursday
follows a dangerous trend, and does not strike a balance between security
and civil rights.
-
- The new Public Safety Act was created to give cabinet
ministers the ability to make immediate changes to regulations governing
transportation, health, immigration and the environment, without consulting
Parliament.
-
- Bloc Québécois leader Gilles Duceppe says
neither ministers nor their departments should have that much power. "[The
minister] has all the power and, in fact, the civil servants, the deputy
minister will have all the power. This is unacceptable."
-
- Conservative leader Joe Clark is concerned about the
lack of oversight in the new measures.
-
- "We cannot allow the government to gather more and
more power over the ordinary lives of ordinary people without any control
on the way the government exercises that power," said Clark.
-
- Transport Minister David Collenette defended the new
bill and said the changes will promote public safety. "In a situation
of urgency and difficulty like September 11, Canadians want to know that
their government can act."
-
- He says Canadians should have faith in their government
and expect more action to come.
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- Written by CBC News Online staff http://cbc.ca/cgi-bin/view?/news/2001/11/23/transpo_reax011123
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