Liberals must vote against C-51

It’s not too late for the Liberals to join the NDP and the millions of Canadians who oppose the Conservatives’ devastating Bill C-51, which will undermine our rights and freedoms.

“I’m asking Justin Trudeau’s Liberals to defend our rights and freedoms by voting against Bill C-51 this evening,” said Official Opposition leader Thomas Mulcair. “We must stand together and do what thousands of Canadians asked us to do when they took to the streets and send a clear message to Stephen Harper: we won’t let fear triumph over our principles.”

Since it was introduced, Bill C-51 has been criticized by numerous experts of all political stripes – including four former prime ministers, the Canadian Bar and a group of more than 100 academics and 60 business women and men. This new legislation won’t be effective, lacks adequate monitoring and surveillance measures and is deliberately vague.

“All parliamentarians believe that terrorism is a real threat and we all agree that security is a priority for any government,” added Mulcair. “But Canadians don’t have to choose between security and their rights as Stephen Harper is asking us to do with this bill.”