The Council of Canadians is co-sponsoring an important event in Ottawa next month on Harper’s online spying legislation. As the event page describes, “The government is trying to push through a set of electronic surveillance laws that will invade your privacy and cost you money. The plan is to force every phone and Internet provider to allow ‘authorities’ to collect the private information of any Canadian, at any time, without a warrant.”
There is international pressure on Canada from the United States and European Union to grant Canadian law enforcement agents the same powers to snoop as exist in those countries. Canada is negotiating a perimeter security agreement with the United States that would harmonize many security and intelligence gathering practises with U.S. norms. Canada is also expected to eventually ratify a European treaty related to the gathering and sharing of criminal and watchlist data. You can learn more about “lawful access” and sign a petition against Harper’s proposed legislation at StopSpying.ca. There is also a Facebook page up here with directions to the event. Or click on “more” to see the event details.
WHEN: Wednesday, Feb. , 6 – 10 p.m.
WHERE: Amphitheatre – St. Paul University 223 Main Street, Ottawa
AGENDA:
6:00-7:00 pm Book launch — The Internet Tree; The State of Telecom Policy in Canada 3.0
Refreshments (in the Atrium next to the Amphitheatre)
7:00 – 7:30 (Un)Lawful Access — a mini-documentary that features some of Canada’s leading legal and privacy experts, who explain the dangers of the federal government’s impending “Lawful Access” legislation, dubbed “Online Spying” by Canadians. (15min) — Moving Toward a Surveillance Society — mini-documentary from the B.C. Civil Liberties Association presenting the findings of new report on proposed law. (10 min)
7:30-8:30 Technical Panel + questions – Christopher Parsons Lawful Access: Stepping towards a harmonized surveillance complex? — Kirsten R. Embree Devil in the details: what will be the impact on ISPs? more to come…..
8:45-9:30 Political Panel + questions Moderator: Michael Geist — Charlie Angus, NDP — Elizabeth May, Green Party more to come…..
9:30 Summary; actions; continuing activities
SPONSORING ORGANIZATIONS: Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives (CCPA), Canadian Internet Policy and Public Interest Clinic (CIPPIC), Council of Canadians (COC), International Civil Liberties Monitoring Group (ICLMG), National Union of Public and General Employees (NUPGE), OpenMedia, Public Interest Advocacy Centre (PIAC), The Rideau Institute, More to come…
MEDIA SPONSOR: Rabble.ca
