CSIS spying on those who disagree with government

[The_Squid]

http://www.vancouversun.com/news/Pete+McMartin+Brother+needs+back/11285448/story.html

According to information obtained under the Access to Information Act by the Vancouver Observer, both agencies monitored and put under surveillance local environmental groups opposed to the Northern Gateway oil pipeline, the twinning of Kinder Morgan’s Trans Mountain pipeline and LNG fracking in northern B.C.

CSIS and the RCMP then shared their information with members of the oil industry and the National Energy Board.

The BCCLA will argue this is unconstitutional, that law-abiding citizens have the right to participate in the public discourse and disagree with the government if they do so peaceably, and that they should be able to do so without being spied upon by their government.

----------------------------------------------------------------------

...consider the nature of the groups testifying: The Dogwood Initiative, ForestEthics Advocacy, Leadnow.ca, Open Media and The Sierra Club of B.C. They do not come to mind as being threats to the country’s security, radicalized or prone to violence.

Unfortunately, the hearings are secret. Which is funny, since clearly none of the information would have anything to do with national security... it is about the government and, in this case, corporations being free from scrutiny or protest.

That is not what a "spy agency" is supposed to be used for. Non-violent dissent is guaranteed by the Constitution and should never be subject to government spying.

[socialist]

http://www.vancouversun.com/news/Pete+McMartin+Brother+needs+back/11285448/story.html

Unfortunately, the hearings are secret. Which is funny, since clearly none of the information would have anything to do with national security... it is about the government and, in this case, corporations being free from scrutiny or protest.

That is not what a "spy agency" is supposed to be used for. Non-violent dissent is guaranteed by the Constitution and should never be subject to government spying.

One simple, poorly written newspaper article and you think you have a zinger. This doesn't bother me in any way. You are just trying to create controversy where none exists.

[waldo]

enemies of the state! (Former) Natural Resources Minister Joe Oliver: "These groups threaten to hijack our regulatory system to achieve their radical ideological agenda. They seek to exploit any loophole they can find, stacking public hearings with bodies to ensure that delays kill good projects. They use funding from foreign special interest groups to undermine Canada’s national economic interest."

[Freddy]

Good!!! To many brain dead idiots around here anyways. With some luck they'll even go missing the same way they do in Brazil.

[Michael Hardner]

These types of abuses are sure to happen when we have this much surveillance. There needs to be oversight to prevent them.

[poochy]

These types of abuses are sure to happen when we have this much surveillance. There needs to be oversight to prevent them.

Abuses, sorry, which of them were abused? If for example you will risk peoples lives by ramming a ship with one of your own, are you to be considered trust worthy? No one has ever spiked a tree or conspired to blow up a dam, burned down a ski lodge..nah, guess not.

[On Guard for Thee]

Good!!! To many brain dead idiots around here anyways. With some luck they'll even go missing the same way they do in Brazil.

Good of you to step up.

[PIK]

The eco terrorists will be next. Cant wait.

[Michael Hardner]

Abuses, sorry, which of them were abused?

The allegation is that peaceful groups are monitored, and I believe it.

[The_Squid]

The eco terrorists will be next. Cant wait.

What Eco terrorists?

CSIS seems to be going after peaceful protestors and sharing that information with corporations. It's despicable.

Edited August 14, 2015 by The_Squid

[kimmy]

See, Argus, we were talking about this before, and like I said: keep giving the government extraordinary powers to combat terrorism, and they'll keep finding ways to classify more stuff as terrorism.

You assured me that "no no no, they wouldn't abuse these powers, people wouldn't stand for it!" Well, how's that working out?

-k

[Hal 9000]

Eco-terrorism has been around a long time and is justified by radicals as "the ends justify the means".

[cybercoma]

Yeah. Eco Terrorism is way out of control. Practically every week there's another bombing or oil executive getting beheaded.

[cybercoma]

Oh right forgot to add /s.

[The_Squid]

Eco-terrorism has been around a long time and is justified by radicals as "the ends justify the means".

So these were eco-terrorists being spied on?

All the right-wing responses to this thread are another example of the hyper-partisan nature of the right-wingers who post here. If it's their guys doing it to people they don't like, it's OK, regardless of whether it's legal or not.

CSIS spying on protesters doesn't seem to conform to the "less government" ideology right-wingers pretend to believe in.

Edited August 14, 2015 by The_Squid

[Black Dog]

See, Argus, we were talking about this before, and like I said: keep giving the government extraordinary powers to combat terrorism, and they'll keep finding ways to classify more stuff as terrorism.

You assured me that "no no no, they wouldn't abuse these powers, people wouldn't stand for it!" Well, how's that working out?

-k

It should be a surprise that people who are generally completely distrustful of government to accomplish anything of value are such naifs when it comes to this kind of thing, but it's not. They never feel this stuff will impact their lives so they don't really care. It's just like abuses of power by law enforcement.

What Eco terrorists?

The Marxist radicals at the Sierra Club I guess.

[Black Dog]

Eco-terrorism has been around a long time and is justified by radicals as "the ends justify the means".

And which of the groups involved in the suit are eco-terrorist organizations? I can't find any of them on the list of banned organizations, but maybe that will come if the Tories win in October?

[Hal 9000]

I don't understand, are you people saying there is no such thing as eco-terrorism, or that eco-terrorism is just not a big deal?

[On Guard for Thee]

So these were eco-terrorists being spied on?

All the right-wing responses to this thread are another example of the hyper-partisan nature of the right-wingers who post here. If it's their guys doing it to people they don't like, it's OK, regardless of whether it's legal or not.

CSIS spying on protesters doesn't seem to conform to the "less government" ideology right-wingers pretend to believe in.

"less government" now there is one humdinger of a contradiction from the right, especially under the current admin.

[Black Dog]

I don't understand, are you people saying there is no such thing as eco-terrorism, or that eco-terrorism is just not a big deal?

Eco-terrorism is irrelevant to the subject at hand.

[Hal 9000]

Eco-terrorism is irrelevant to the subject at hand.

But you would agree that eco-terrorism is bad and those perpetrating such acts should be found and charged...right?

[Black Dog]

But you would agree that eco-terrorism is bad and those perpetrating such acts should be found and charged...right?

This is derailing.

[Hal 9000]

If people want to get political, they should be accountable. There shouldn't be any hiding. If people want to "get in the ring", fair enough, but they have to expect to be identified and checked out.

[kimmy]

If people want to get political, they should be accountable. There shouldn't be any hiding. If people want to "get in the ring", fair enough, but they have to expect to be identified and checked out.

That's an incredibly shoddy rationalization for completely unjustified use of powers that were supposedly created "to protect national security".

It if were an NDP government using warrantless surveillance on Conservative Party gatherings on a flimsy pretext like "looking for violent ultra-right-wing extremists" I doubt you'd be accepting of such laughable arguments.

-k

[poochy]

That's an incredibly shoddy rationalization for completely unjustified use of powers that were supposedly created "to protect national security".

It if were an NDP government using warrantless surveillance on Conservative Party gatherings on a flimsy pretext like "looking for violent ultra-right-wing extremists" I doubt you'd be accepting of such laughable arguments.

-k

Depends upon if people associated with the party had ever been suspect of any sort of 'terrorism'. Which some eco groups actually have, and when your talking about projects that are of national interest, maybe they should be watched, they are after all trying to prevent these projects from happening, it only takes one true believer to do something really harmful.