Source: The Progressive News Hour
URL: [link]
Date: December 23, 2010
In place since 1978, it lets authorities detain and/or deport foreign nationals and other non-citizens suspected of human rights violations, alleged threats to national security, or claimed affiliation with organized crime, using (usually bogus) secret evidence withheld from defense counsel.
Since 1991, 27 residents have been affected. In February 2007, Canada's Supreme Court ruled it unconstitutional in Charkaoui v. Canada. However, eight months later in October, the Canadian House of Commons passed Bill C-3 (a so-called anti-terror measure), amending the 2001 Immigration and Refugee Protection Act by introducing a special advocate into the certificate process on the pretext of protecting subjects during secret proceedings.
That and other provisions are troubling, including indefinite detentions, with or without charges, draconian house arrest with continuous monitoring and surveillance, and deportations to despotic states unjustly. Doing so assures torture, imprisonment or death. It's why subjects fled to Canada, believing they'd be safe.
The special advocate provision is reprehensible, providing legal cover for a fundamentally unjust process designed to stigmatize, vilify, convict, imprison, or deport mostly innocent victims to oblivion, pretending national and public security were protected.
As a result, human and civil rights advocates, anti-war activists, opponents of extremist government policies, and targets of convenience for political advantage (especially Muslims) are unjustly charged, arrested, and persecuted. Their constitutional right of assured innocence unless proved guilty in a fair and open process beyond a reasonable doubt is denied, subjecting them to police state injustice, common in third world dictatorships.Once Security Certificates are issued, Federal Courts conduct secret proceedings, delivering summary draconian injustice. The entire process is engineered to convict, much like corrupted US courts against anyone charged with terrorism, conspiracy to commit it, accused environmental and animal rights activists called "ecoterrorists," vocal critics of US injustice, and advocates for human and civil rights. Statement Against Security Certificates
Canadian and other justice defenders demand Security Certificates be abolished. Access the link below to endorse its revocation: www.harkatstatement.com
Real democracies assure fundamental human rights, civil liberties, due process, judicial fairness, and equitable treatment for everyone at all times with no allowed exceptions. Anything less is police state justice. Guilt by accusation is unacceptable. It's how Canadian and American courts operate in violation of fundamental legal standards. This injustice must end. Sign the above statement and demand it. -- Stephen Lendman lives in Chicago and can be reached at lendmanstephen AT sbcglobal.net Also visit his blog site at sjlendman.blogspot.com and listen to cutting-edge discussions with distinguished guests on the Progressive Radio News Hour on the Progressive Radio Network Thursdays at 10AM US Central time and Saturdays and Sundays at noon. All programs are archived for easy listening.