Elizabeth May Question and Comment on C-51

Elizabeth May: Mr. Speaker, let me parenthetically agree entirely with the member for Northwest Territories. Canada’s performance as chair of the Arctic Council was a disgrace.

My question is related to Bill C-51 and the 94th application of time allocation. Earlier today, the government House leader made the absurd claim that I had not read Bill C-51, which I assure the House I have studied assiduously, and I doubt that the hon. member has.

I would like to know if the government House leader knows the difference between oversight, review, and issuing a warrant. They are three entirely different concepts. Bill C-51 does not contain any judicial oversight.

Peter Van Loan: Mr. Speaker, when we introduced this legislation and drafted it, we had a choice. We could ask politicians after the fact to examine the activities of the Canadian Security Intelligence Service with regard to its new powers, or we could give that power to judges to examine, in advance before acts were undertaken, whether they were appropriate, and if they thought so, to grant a warrant.

That is the choice we made. We chose to have judges review these matters rather than politicians.

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