December 12, 2007 Dear Liberal Member of Parliament, On behalf of the 38 national organizations members of the International Civil Liberties Monitoring Group (see annexed membership list), I am urging you to vote against the adoption of Bill C-3, the proposed security certificate legislation, during the vote on third reading scheduled to take place later today. During parliamentary committee hearings over the last two weeks, members of Parliament have heard numerous witnesses, including ICLMG and several of its members, the Canadian Bar Association, the Quebec Bar Association and the Federation of Law Societies, expressing strong concerns that the proposed legislation, even as amended, would likely not pass another constitutional challenge. These concerns rest on the belief that the proposed legislation fails to address the requirements of the Supreme Court that any alternative to the existing security certificate legislation must meet the basic principles of fundamental justice. Nothing short of criminal prosecution, or the introduction in IRPA of a standard of proof equivalent to that used in criminal prosecution, can meet these basic principles. Furthermore, Bill C-3 perpetuates a two-tier justice system premised on the belief that non-citizens have fewer rights than citizens, condemning them to possible deportation towards torture or to indefinite detention based on secret intelligence reports and the denial to know and meet the case against them.The NDP and the Bloc Québécois have already stated that they will oppose this legislation. We call on you, as a Liberal member of Parliament, to join this opposition in order to uphold the democratic principles and values enshrined in the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms cherished by Canadians, and by Liberal supporters in particular.

Sincerely,

Gerry Barr
Co-Chair of the ICLMG and
President-CEO
Canadian Council for International Co-operation

ANNEX I

ICLMG MEMBERSHIP LIST

The International Civil Liberties Monitoring Group is a multi-sector coalition that promotes respect for human rights and civil liberties. Positions expressed by ICLMG speak to common concerns of members but do not necessarily articulate the position of individual member organizations.

· Amnesty International
· Association québécoise des organismes de coopération internationale
· B.C. Freedom of Information and Privacy Association
· Canadian Arab Federation
· Canadian Association of University Teachers
· Canadian Auto Workers Union
· Canadian Council for International Co-operation
· Canadian Council for Refugees
· Canadian Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-CAN)
· Canadian Ethnocultural Council
· Canadian Federation of Students
· Canadian Friends Service Committee
· Canadian Labour Congress
· Canadian Muslim Lawyers Association
· Canadian Union of Postal Workers
. Canadian Unitarians for Social Justice
· CARE Canada
· Centre for Social Justice
· Communications Energy and Paperworkers Union
· Confederation of Canadian Unions
· Council of Canadians
· CUSO
· David Suzuki Foundation
· Development and Peace
· ETC Group
· Greenpeace
· International Development and Relief Foundation
· Inter Pares
· KAIROS
· Ligue des droits et libertés
· National Anti-Racism Council of Canada
· National Union of Public and General Employees
· Ontario Council of Agencies Serving Immigrants
· PEN Canada
· Primate’s World Relief and Development Fund
· Public Service Alliance of Canada
· Rights & Democracy
· United Steelworkers of America
· World Vision Canada

Friends of the ICLMG

Hon. Warren Allmand; Mr. Allmand is a former solicitor general of Canada and the
immediate past president of the International Centre for HumaRights and Democratic Development (Rights & Democracy).

Hon. Edward Broadbent; Mr.Broadbent is a former leader of Canada’s New Democratic Party. He was the first president of the International Centre for Human Rights and Democratic Development.

Hon. Gordon Fairweather; Mr. Fairweather was the first chief commissioner of the Canadian Human Rights Commission. He is a former attorney general of New Brunswick and a member of the Canadian House of Commons.

Hon. David MacDonald; Mr. MacDonald is a former Canadian secretary of State andminister of communications. Mr. MacDonald is also an ex-Canadian ambassador to Ethiopia.

Hon. Flora MacDonald; Ms. MacDonald is a former Canadian minister of foreign affairs and a former minister of communications.

The Very Rev. Lois Wilson; Rev. Wilson is a former moderator of the United Church of Canada and retired recently from the Canadian Senate.