OTTAWA — A new analysis says the Conservative government’s anti-terrorism bill will lead to spy scandals due to inadequate oversight of Canadian intelligence agencies.
Law professors Craig Forcese and Kent Roach say Canada’s real-time oversight of spy agencies is imperfect and its after-the-fact review of intelligence activities is close to broken.
In a paper published today, they say the anti-terrorism bill introduced last month will only make things worse because it expands spying powers.
In an open letter to MPs urging them to reject the bill, more than 100 academics cite a series of recent papers on the proposed legislation by Forcese and Roach.
The Conservatives brought in the bill — which would significantly expand the Canadian Security Intelligence Service’s mandate — following the daylight murders of two Canadian soldiers last October.
The House of Commons public safety committee plans to hear more than 50 witnesses on the bill during hearings that begin next month.
On the web: www.antiterrorlaw.ca