CJC urges Parliament to take up Supreme Court challenge for effective, Charter-proofsecurity legislation
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
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February 23, 2007
TORONTO - Canadian Jewish Congress urges Parliament to take up today's Supreme Courtchallenge and pass new legislation within one year that replaces current securitycertificates with new law mirroring these provisions, while protecting the rightsof the accused under the Charter.
Recognizing that terrorism remains a clear and present threat to Canadian security,the Court has determined that the status quo with respect to the certificates prevailsin the interim.
"Security certificates have been vigorously defended by the previous Liberal governmentas well as the current Conservative government. What Canada needs most, in keepingwith the Charter, is an overall security régime whose first and best lineof defence against terrorism remains effective, timely surveillance and intelligenceto stop attacks before they happen," said Canadian Jewish Congress National PresidentEd Morgan.
"In the wake of today's decision, we urge the Parliament of Canada to pass new legislationto ensure that the state retains the necessary powers to deal with the security threatsthat certificates addressed while satisfying the Court's Charter of Rights concerns,"he added.
"As part of this process, we suggest that Parliament explore the United Kingdom'sapproach both to hearing procedures and rules of evidence in security cases as wellas to 'measures of control' such as house arrest and monitoring devices to avoidprolonged incarceration," Morgan said.
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Contact:Wendy Lampert
National Director of Communications
Canadian Jewish Congress
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
February 23, 2007
TORONTO - Canadian Jewish Congress urges Parliament to take up today's Supreme Courtchallenge and pass new legislation within one year that replaces current securitycertificates with new law mirroring these provisions, while protecting the rightsof the accused under the Charter.
Recognizing that terrorism remains a clear and present threat to Canadian security,the Court has determined that the status quo with respect to the certificates prevailsin the interim.
"Security certificates have been vigorously defended by the previous Liberal governmentas well as the current Conservative government. What Canada needs most, in keepingwith the Charter, is an overall security régime whose first and best lineof defence against terrorism remains effective, timely surveillance and intelligenceto stop attacks before they happen," said Canadian Jewish Congress National PresidentEd Morgan.
"In the wake of today's decision, we urge the Parliament of Canada to pass new legislationto ensure that the state retains the necessary powers to deal with the security threatsthat certificates addressed while satisfying the Court's Charter of Rights concerns,"he added.
"As part of this process, we suggest that Parliament explore the United Kingdom'sapproach both to hearing procedures and rules of evidence in security cases as wellas to 'measures of control' such as house arrest and monitoring devices to avoidprolonged incarceration," Morgan said.
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-30-
Contact:Wendy Lampert
National Director of Communications
Canadian Jewish Congress
posted by Jordan | 2:20 PM
3 Comments:
I am sorry...I really do not understand why the CJC would weigh in on this matter.
I would say the CJC, as Jews, have a fare bit of understanding of the effects of terrorism.
10 days ago the CJC issued a release saying that the extension should take place only if changes were made to the existing 2 provisions.
Did the CJC bend under pressure from Harper??
Ed Morgan has some splannin to do!!
10 days ago he calls for changes and today he says the extrension should have gone ahead as proposed. CJC look foolish.
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