In October 1970 Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau invoked the War Measures Act in response to kidnappings of James Cross and Pierre Laporte by the FLQ.
http://archives.cbc.ca/war_conflict/civil_unrest/topics/101-618/
This gave the police almost unlimited powers in searching out suspected terrorists and suspended many of the civil liberties that are the foundation of a democratic society.
Since the events of the September 11, 2001 we have seen the government gain increasing power and control in their efforts to keep us safe from terrorism.
What rights do you believe in the most? Do think we should give up some of our individual freedoms to ensure our safety and where should we draw the line? Give an example when you have felt your civil liberties or "rights" have been abused.
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17 comments:
i think that the war measures act does take it a little too far because not only are they disturbing your life if the decide to search your house without a warrant because they are also disturbing your family and children. they should also allow you to speak to a lawyer because they are part of basic rights as well.
ar.
No, I do not think that we should have to give up our rights and freedoms so we can feel just a little more safe. Canada is a relatively safe nation already, as our only terrorist acts were performed by the FLQ. Sure, increase security by putting up more security cameras and have security guards in public places but don't force Canadians to give up their freedom and privacy.
JH
P. 1
The war measures act takes personal freedom away from citizens. The right to search a house without consent from a higher level disturbs your rights and freedoms.
the war measure act dose take away freedome but think of it this way with out it where would we be could there be more terroist attacks maybe we will never know but its better to be safe than sorry. now yes there is racial profileing in airports everyone knows it but wat about the actul terriost wat if one of those people was a terriost and we didnt know and we didnt check then we would have another criess on our hands so all and all i think that the war measures act is a preaty good idea in general.
J.B.R.
period .1
I believe we shouldnt give up our rights and freedoms and the war measures act takes things to far for my liking. Searching your home without warrent, tapping phone lines really is all of this nessicary? One way or anyother someone is going to get upset due the the lack of privacy and having our rights and freedoms taken away what kind of a monstrocity are we getting ourselves into in our modern day society just to make sure things are little more safe, by disrupting one's personal rights and freedoms as a citizen of Canada. However on the flip side of the war measures act it might be a good idea in the situation of a terrorist attack being put into effect suire it would disprupt our privacy but think of it like this what would you rather have your privacy or a terrorist attack apon our country
R.D
Periode 1
i don't believe that we should be giving up our right for safty i think that people should be able to protect ourselves and i dont think that the police should have all the power over us cause they arnt all good and i just don't think thats it is fair to the people...
RF
No, I think that they shouldn't take are rights and freedoms. They should not be able to search are houses and watch are every move, unless they are sure we did something wrong. They should be not be able to arrest anyone with a good explanation why they did. They may think it is making us safer but it is really just taking away are rights and freedoms.
CG
i think we students should have the freedom right,and decide when they should go to school and not have our parents and teachers etc tell us what to do or try to punish us if we dont do the rights.
P4 BBP
I do believe that some rights we dont deserve, like seat belt but i think that the new laws about helmets a bit overwhelming.
A time where i felt taht my rights were not being respected was when one day i went into a store at the mall, obvisly the mall is going to be filled with teens, about one minute after me and my friends entered the worker asked me to leave my purse behind the counter.
I felt that she had no right to ask me to leave my purse behind a counter with no one to look over it. The co-worker and her were sitting at the back of the store opening boxes. I was not about to leave my purse where it could be stolen.
Sorry that some people havent learned that not all teens are going to shoplift.
JK.
I beleive that the right to the freedom to speech is our greatest right, as we use it through all forms of media, advertisement, and everyday life. Of course some of our rights may have to be abondoned during a crisis, what ever that may be. I believe that I have never had a point in my life where my rights have been violated without a just cause
Lloyd N
I believe that the rights the Constitution has proclaimed is good in many ways because it has kept the society safe. But on the other hand it has gone a tad farther then I believe it should. My friend had to leave her nail clippers behind in the airport because she wasnt allowed to go anywhere with them. They were nail clippers, sure a weapon if used for that purpose, but the normal 'joe shmo' would use them for the purpose they were made for.
Not able to carry a gun with you, i understand the reasoning for it, someone could get on a bad temper tantrum and decide to shoot someone in the head. But on the other hand, some people feel so un safe in this little world of ours, and pepper spray may not do it for them. Id want to have a gun in the glove compartment in my car.
But everything has its reasoning, and if they do not take the extra procautions they need to, then worse could happen, and then they could really get slammed when a tragedy arises.
See it from both angles, everyone has their right to reason.
Tess.
I believe that sometimes desperate times call for desperate measures, and maybe sometimes some rights should be suspended.
Sometimes the whole is punished as a message to the few.
L.D.
Period1
I think the War Measure Act is both a positive and negative act. Because of the act we have been give certain rights and freedoms as an individual. We shouldnt have to give up our individual freedom to ensure our safety. Having cameras in publuc bathrooms is that honestly necessary? Thats an invasion of privacy and everyuone deserves their own privacy.
AG.
I believe in rights such as equality and freedom, because without those rights what would we be able to do? Like for example if we didnt have freedom of speech then we would never be able to voice our opinions on issues that we believe or dont believe in.
I think that there are some rights where we should give up our freedoms such as on the plane where they have extra security now and check everything because you never know. I would rather take the time going through baggage check than having a potential terrorist and they never even got checked at all.
The only time I've ever really had my rights abused was at my old job where they made me work sometimes 6 days a week for 8 or more hours a day on a part time job. It was overwhelming
KM
I personaly believe in the right of freedome, and free speach; but when some body of some group have defied rights and laws to an extent then i believe that the government has all the power to do what they need to do to provide a safe place for us, for the children and the elderly. So yes i do bieleve that we should give up some of our individual rights to prevent terrorism attacks when it is neccicary.
C.F
Pr. 1
I believe that the war measure act is not bad for the society. In one hand, the rights and freedoms are based on a safety society. If we do not have a safe place to live, our rights and freedoms can not be hold by us. In the other hand, if we are harmless to the society, the war measure act has nothing to do with us. Therefore, the war measure act is not too far for the government.
XiaoruiG
P1
We should not have to give up any of our rights and freedoms just so that we can insure our safety. But there are some aspects in life that you can't disagree with in the war act, like i know some of you people say we should have a right to have a lawyer when the police want to search our houses but really, What if their was someone getting raped in that house? and they needed to search because they needed to catch them red handed so that the cops have proof to lock that person away. Now that's another aspect to look at the war act in. So i know some people disagree with it but just rethink it a little bit.
TT
Period 1
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