These laws（C51） risks criminalising speech, by making it illegal for anyone to advocate or “promote” terrorism. But here’s the unanswered question: how will this be interpreted in the real world?[6] Will this law be used to detain a small child, as happened recently in France?[7] What about a group of mum-and-dad protesters, who MPs might label “eco-terrorists”? Who gets to decide, and can we trust these people to make these decisions without proper oversight?
[6] How Ottawa’s new terrorism act could chill free speech. The Globe and Mail, February 5, 2015.
[7] 8-year-old detained by police for saying he supported Charlie Hebdo attackers. The Star, January 29 2015.