Too Much Liberty and Privacy? (922 hits)
Category: PoliticsRating: 0.12 on 12 reviews (Rate this item) (V)
Submitted by dnieciecki@excite,com (View user info) at 2003-05-02 11:02:21 EDT
Canada is looking more and more attractive these days.
"U.S. says Canada cares too much about liberties
Terrorism report also says too little spent on police
http://www.canada.com/national/story.asp?id=78A2260B-4770-4682-BE60-E6FE1D3B8144
Jim Bronskill, with files from Janice Tibbetts
The Ottawa Citizen
Thursday, May 01, 2003
The United States says the lack of funding for police and restrictive privacy legislation in Canada are frustrating probes of political extremists.
The comments in an annual report on international terrorism were the latest critical remarks from the U.S. apparently aimed at prodding Canada to bring its security measures in line.
The State Department report on global terrorism for 2002 suggests that while Canada has been helpful in the fight against terrorism, it doesn't spend enough on policing and PLACES TOO MUCH EMPHASIS ON CIVIL LIBERTIES.
It says "some U.S. law enforcement officers have expressed concern" about Canadian privacy laws.
The U.S. officers feel those laws, as well as funding levels for law enforcement, "inhibit a fuller and more timely exchange of information and response to requests for assistance," the report says.
"Also, Canadian laws and regulations intended to protect Canadian citizens and landed immigrants from government intrusion sometimes limit the depth of investigations."
...
Spokesmen for the Solicitor General's Department were not available to comment on the report.
The U.S. observations come amid heightened tension between the two countries following Washington's public expression of disappointment that Canadian forces did not join the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq.
In releasing the report, U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell said although there has been great progress in the last year, terrorism still "casts its grim shadow" across the globe.
...
Despite the report's criticism of certain Canadian practices, it included effusive praise for the [Canadian] federal government's overall efforts to work with the U.S. in the fight against extremism, calling the relationship "a model for bilateral co-operation on counter-terrorism issues."
...
The comments follow State Department remarks in a March report on narcotics and money laundering that urged Canada to ensure privacy protection measures do not prevent the timely sharing of financial information that might be critical to police investigations.
The same report took issue with Canada's move to make possession of small amounts of marijuana a ticketing offence rather than a criminal one. "This will not only harm Canadian society, but have consequences for the United States as well," the report said.
Justice Minister Martin Cauchon reiterated yesterday that legislation to decriminalize marijuana will be tabled soon, while Canadian Alliance Leader Stephen Harper said the move would inflame tensions with the U.S.
"Now would not be the time to irritate trade relations and we've already had plenty of warning that this would do just that."
© Copyright 2003 The Ottawa Citizen
User Reviews
Submitted by Nikita at 2003-05-03 13:38:43 EDT (#)
Ranking: 0
for DP...not the last time i checked
Submitted by DP (user info) at 2003-05-02 22:23:39 EDT (#)
Ranking: 0
Is it true Canadians have four nipples?
Submitted by Partholon (user info) at 2003-05-02 15:35:41 EDT (#)
Ranking: 0
I like Canadian money. I think it's pretty. Also, I'm Eurocentrist, and Canada is "the poor man's Europe."
Submitted by Partholon (user info) at 2003-05-02 15:34:57 EDT (#)
Ranking: 0
Loki:
Most people don't grow their own tobacco or brew their own beer. Instead, you'd buy your weed in the grocery store from the major multinational corporations. That's not much better, but more likely.
Submitted by HeavensWalls (user info) at 2003-05-02 14:27:45 EDT (#)
Ranking: 1
DDT - You bring up some funny shit. When I was young, I would always look at the covers of the books I had and it would always say the price in U.S. and in Canada and it always made me think that Canadian shit was more expensive.
Submitted by loki (user info) at 2003-05-02 14:22:30 EDT (#)
Ranking: 0
Plus they use funny looking money and everyone talks like Quartermain.
Submitted by loki (user info) at 2003-05-02 14:21:37 EDT (#)
Ranking: 0
I don't want marijuana to be legal. If you make it legal then everyone will start growing it outside and the steins will cross pollinate leading to excessive seed production and weakening of the tetrahydrocannabinol levels resulting in dirt weed. Hydroponics is the truth.
Submitted by drink_DDT (user info) at 2003-05-02 14:20:10 EDT (#)
Ranking: -2
I would never live in Canada for two reasons:
1) Books are like $2 more expensive.
2) Some people there speak french.
Submitted by Partholon (user info) at 2003-05-02 14:15:47 EDT (#)
Ranking: 0
Did you miss the part about legalized marijuana? Give me that and gay marriage, and an English-speaking population, and I'm there.
Submitted by loki (user info) at 2003-05-02 13:50:41 EDT (#)
Ranking: 0
We should invade Canada and make them our bitch.
Submitted by oddzandendz (user info) at 2003-05-02 11:35:46 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Ok....heres that 2 i was looking for......
Submitted by oddzandendz (user info) at 2003-05-02 11:34:49 EDT (#)
Ranking: 0
I didn't even read this, but i'll give it a +2 cuz I live and Canada.....haha.....I love PEMEAL BACON!