We did it! What now?

It’s been a busy summer, but we wanted to take some time to reflect both on what we’ve accomplished over the past year, as well as the important work that still needs to be done – hopefully with your help!

THE VICTORIES

  • The results of the federal government’s national security consultation were unequivocally in favour of our positions.
  • The government plans on creating a new overarching review agency for all national security activities – something we have advocated for since 2006.
  • The government has finally settled multiple cases with torture victims. The ICLMG, along with other human rights groups, campaigned alongside these survivors for several years.
  • Citizenship equality was restored with the adoption of Bill C-6; the ICLMG was one of the first organizations to speak out when the Conservative government weakened citizenship in 2014.

For more details, check out our Achievements and Gains page!

With continuous support, we could secure many more victories! This is why we created a page on Patreon. Patreon is a platform where people can support people and organizations in exchange for rewards so they can do their work sustainably and freely without having to rely on corporate sponsors. You can give as little as $1 per month (that’s just $12 per year!) and you can unsubscribe at any time. We hope you’ll become an ICLMG patron and support our work!

THE WORK AHEAD

While we have had successes, there are still major challenges ahead, and we have our work cut out for us.

The Trudeau government has presented Bill C-59 as their way to fix the tremendous problems caused by the dangerous and useless Anti-terrorism Act of 2015 (also known as Bill C-51). But C-59 is a complex omnibus bill that will bring in a wide array of changes. To fully grasp what’s in it, we need to do a full analysis and work with other experts across the country. What is clear already though: C-59 does not repeal Bill C-51, and even proposes to give new powers to Canada’s spy agencies.

We need your help to ensure Bill C-59 will protect our human rights!

Beyond C-59, we will continue our work on several other campaigns, including:

  • The release of Hassan Diab from jail in France
  • Justice for Mohamed Harkat who risks deportation to torture
  • The removal of the torture memos
  • A public inquiry into Canada’s role in the torture of Afghan detainees
  • The protection of privacy and bodily integrity at the border
  • Ending the no-fly list and the “terrorist” entities list
  • Analyzing the impact of “counter-radicalization” plans on our rights
  • Protecting freedom of expression, freedom of the press and the right to dissent, and more.

We do not receive any funding from any federal, provincial or municipal governments or political parties so we need your support to continue our work. If you’d rather not use Patreon, or would prefer to make a one-time donation, click on the button below.
Screen Shot 2017-09-06 at 5.28.07 PMThank you for your investment in protecting our civil liberties!

Anne & Tim