Original author: Andrew Mayeda
Source: The Ottawa Citizen
URL: N/A
Date: May 16, 2007


Public Safety Minister Stockwell Day said yesterday the Harper government is moving "aggressively" to resurrect two provisions of the Anti-terrorism Act that sparked a furore in the House of Commons and exposed deep divisions within the ranks of the Liberal party.

The provisions of the law enabling "preventive arrests" and "investigative hearings" were allowed to expire this spring after the Liberals withdrew support for extending them.
The Liberals, who brought in the clauses while in power after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, argued the clauses were no longer necessary and could infringe on civil liberties.

But the move unleashed a torrent of condemnation from Prime Minister Stephen Harper, whose party labelled the Liberals "soft on terror." The switch also drew criticism from tough-on-crime members of the Liberal caucus.

Mr. Day told the Commons public safety committee yesterday that he and Justice Minister Rob Nicholson have been developing amendments to the country's security certificate regime to address shortcomings identified by a recent Supreme Court ruling.

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