In what may be a first in the country, City of Powell River council has passed a resolution to petition Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s Conservative government to withdraw its proposed security of Canada information sharing act currently before the House of Commons.
Bill C-51, a contentious piece of legislation which has been dubbed the Secret Police Bill, has drawn widespread opposition from citizen groups across the country, including Powell River. Critics of the legislation say the bill muddies the water between the powers of those who gather intelligence, CSIS (Canadian Security Intelligence Service), and those who act on the information creating the potential for abuse. It would also give departments of the federal government wider access to citizens’ sensitive information which may make it easier and lawful for the government to infringe on the civil rights of Canadians, particularly those who protest against resource development projects like oil pipelines.
Powell River resident Alfred Muma brought the resolution to city council’s committee of the whole meeting on April 7. Muma helped organize the March rally in Powell River to stop the bill.
Council passed the resolution at its meeting on Thursday, April 16. Mayor Dave Formosa voted against the resolution and Councillor Jim Palm abstained from the vote. (Marie Claxton, city clerk, explained Palm’s abstention would be counted as a vote in favour.) Councillor Maggie Hathaway was away with leave, but councillors Russell Brewer, CaroleAnn Leishman, Rob Southcott and Karen Skadsheim voted in favour and the resolution was carried.
A letter with the resolution is being sent to the prime minister’s office, Stephen Blaney, minister of public safety and emergency preparedness, John Weston, MP serving West Vancouver-Sunshine Coast-Sea to Sky Country riding, and official opposition New Democratic Party leader Thomas Mulcair.
Readers interested in learning more about the bill can read it online.
