In the context of the present controversial debate and imminent vote on Bill S-7 (Combating Terrorism Act), the International Civil Liberties Monitoring Group makes a last appeal to Members of Parliament to reject the proposed legislation. The ICLMG opposes the reintroduction of the two provisions of the 2001 Anti-Terrorism Act that were subject to a sunset clause: the “investigative hearings” and the “preventive arrest” provisions (section 10). These provisions expired in February 2007 when a majority of Parliament, including 90 Liberal MPs, voted against their prolongation. Six years later, nothing justifies their reintroduction. “In the aftermath of the Boston Marathon bombing, we appeal to Members of Parliament to not give in to fear,” said Roch Tassé, National Coordinator for ICLMG. “The Anti-Terrorism Act was adopted in a rush after the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks in the United States. Let’s not repeat the same mistake. A more rational assessment of the proposed legislation, one that is not grounded in fear, makes it obvious that the controversial provisions are neither necessary nor effective to confront terrorism.”

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The Human Rights Research and Education Center of the University of Ottawa (HRREC) was the host of a roundtable on the issue of the criminalization of dissent and its impacts on human rights and environmental defenders. The panel presentations was followed by an exchange with the audience on the legal dilemmas and challenges faced by human rights and environmental defenders as a result of this increasing trend.

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A Co-Presentation with Toronto’s Aluna Theatre of ‘The Last Walk of Adolfo Ich’ and a panel discussion with a Guatemalan human rights defender and local guests about the criminalization of dissent. With Jen Moore from Mining Watch, Ian Thomson from Kairos, Roch Tassé from ICLMG, Brittany Lambert from APG-CCIC and Lolita Chavez from the K’iche People’s Counsel.