Anti-terrorism in Canada: Select impacts to civil liberties and human security

In 2001, the Canadian government faced enormous public and international pressure to create strict laws to address concerns about terrorism. Canada hastily enacted the Anti-Terrorism Act ("ATA"), a law that deeply impacts Canadian human rights and civil liberties. This paper contends that human security is a broad, over-arching policy goal. Civil liberties and human security are essential to the survival and sovereignty of the modern nation state as sources of insecurity become increasingly interconnected across international boundaries. This paper addresses select impacts of anti-terrorism laws and policies since 2001. Specifically, the paper discusses changes to the Canada Evidence Act (s.38); the establishment of INSET, a secretive, cross-border anti-terrorism police force; the draconian 'listing' provisions within the ATA; and also changes to the Security of Information Act. Since 2001, in the name of preventing terrorism and promoting human security, Canada has systematically and secretively undermined core democratic national values such as human rights, civil liberties and national sovereignty.