HE ABILITY to find and root out ter- torists is a key plank of the federal government's efforts to keep Cana- dians safe post Sept. 11. But critics fear Oltawa may have tip- _ ped the scales too far to one side when it comes to weighing national security against long-held civil liberties and privacy con- ceras, At the heart of the issue is Bill C-36, anti-ter- rorism legislation that will expand the powers of law enforcement and security agencies. It’s the most closely watched step the Cana- dian government has taken since the attacks on the U.S. The bili is designed ta stop terrorists from operaling inside Canada, and contains some extraordinary provisions. @ Police will be able to arrest someone sus- - pected -of planning a terrorist act before it’s car- ried out. M@ Suspects can be detained for up to three days before charges are laid and could be com- pelied ta testify at an investigative hearing. @ The proposed act would also relax rules on obtaining wiretapping evidence. “. fl The bill creates a way to stop the financing of terrorism in Canada by expanding current pro- ceeds of crime and money laundering legislation by making bank accounts and financial transac- tions subject to closer scrutiny. * HE Sentences for anyone convicted of terrorist acts would be served consecutively to reflect the severity of the crimes. - The Liberals were criticized for invoking clo- sure to end debate on the bill in the House of Commons las! month. But the government has agreed to a number of amendments, including the addition of a sunset clause on the two most controversial elements of the bill — the provisions for preventative arrest -and investigative hearings for suspected terror- “ists. “* Another key amendment is designed to ensure ~unlaweful protest activities aren’t considered ter- rorist acts ~ unless intended to cause death, ser- ious bodily harm, or risks public health and safe- ty. These and other amendments to the bill are important — but may not go far enough, critics ‘charge. : The B.C. Civil Liberties Association says Bill C-36 doesn’t make a distinction between terror- ism and militant protest. Vice president John Russell pointed to pro- tests like the ones that sparked riots in Seattle or environmental groups that spike trees in woods slated for logging. “By threatening serious bodily harm in order to achieve political objectives, these activities all fall within the current definition of terrorism,” Russell said. We’ve seen ather militant forms of untawful protest here in the northwest. ‘Fwice in the past decade, commercial fisher- men in Prince Rupert have blockaded Alaskan passenger ferries, preventing them from leaving ’ the harbour. “AS Well? native groups have blockaded roads » andl iy tiacks. 71" — “While justice department officials declined to comment on specific examples, they weren't able to offer assurances that some protesters who break the law won’t be branded as terrorists. But officials painted out many of these activi- ties already fall under sections of the criminal code. “There are allernatives,” said Michael Zi- gayer, senior counsel for the criminal law policy section of the justice department. “Those alier-’ natives will remain effective after Bill C-36 comes into force.” Still, Zigayer said the decision on whether to arrest a violent protester under the Anti Terrorism Act will ultimately be left up to the discretion of _ law enforcement officials on the scene. “One would hope that [there would be] a cer- tain amount of restraint and consideration before charges are laid,” he said. The RCMP helped draft the bill, which they say will go a long way towards giving law enfor- cement officials the tools they need to fight ter- rorism here — and abroad. “These additional powers are very much limi- the 1 Terroce Standard, Wednesday, December 19, 2001 - A5 THE PEACE tower stands silently over Parliament Hill at a turbulent time in our history. Taking on terror Ottawa’s new security measures mean you will be feeling the effects of Sept. thet ved tater stew Aid Boe 11 fora along time to come. at Ndobl fae u eeye eye canees Pel ret doy gideusee + a feedoy - A special report by Jennifer Lang ted to terrorism,” Bill Lenton, assistant commis- sioner of the RCMP, told a group of community reporters in Ottawa. Bill C-36 defines terrorist activity as one taken ~ or threatened — for political, religious, or ideological purposes. The activity must also threaten personal or national security by killing, seriousty harming or endangering someone, cause substantial property damage that is likely to harm people or disrupt an essential service, unless it’s done during a lawful protest or strike. “Legitimate dissent and protest activity is - protected,” said Donald Piragoff, a senior legal advisor to the justice department. “It doesn’t matier whether that dissent or pro- test mighl violate other laws.” Anyone knowingly assisting terrorist groups can be charged, once Bill C-36 becomes law. And that means anyone knowingly making New fee on flights You'll pay $24 extra on each round trip ticket for the sweeping changes officers. At smaller airports, that will mean entering into service contracts with existing airline staff. charitable donations to organizations that finance terrorist groups could be prosecuted. Another provision asks banks, credit unions, real estate companies and other financial agents to freeze the accounts of any client suspected of financing terrorist organizations. A senior official in the finance department said financial agents will be required to report any suspicious financial transactions to the Fi- nancial Transactions and Reports Analysis Centre of Canada and freeze their client’s assets. Any suspicious financial transaction is to be reported. Even community associations that help new immigrants send money or goods back to their country of origin will now have to report suspi- cious financial activity. A registration system for these culturally- based groups is being considered, | Our country has changed THE FEDERAL government is introducing strict new measures in the fight against terrorism. And from now on, whether you're boarding a plane, crossing a border, entering a federal mu- seum or building, or even depositing money in your bank account, you'll be subject to greater scrutiny than ever before. Federal officials outlined Canada’s response to Sept. LL earlier this month at a special brief- ing session in Ottawa’ organized by the Depart- ment of Foreign Affairs and International Trade and the Canadian: Community ‘Newspaper Asso- ciation. Terrace Standard reporter Jennifer Lang joined 20 other community newspaper reporters and edi- tors in Ottawa, where officials explained a wide- ranging set of new regulations -and \egislative measures designed to crack down on terrorist ac- tivily in Canada -— and make it harder for terror- ists to enter our country. In some cases, Sept. Ll acted as the wake-up call that pushed federal initiatives that were al- ready underway into overdrive. Other measures — like boosting airport security and sweeping anti-terrorism legislation that gives police and intelligence agencies more powers - are new. What’s clear is that virtually every govern- meni department, and a range of agencies in- cluding the RCMP and the Canadian Securily Intelligence Service (CSIS), have been galva- nized into action. At the same time, federal officials admit the threat of terrorism here — or against Canadians travelling abroad — remains remote despite the events of Sept. i. But as the briefing revealed, Canadians are going to be living with the effects for a long time to come. Passports to go high-tech THE COST of a new passport jumped to $85 for adult Canadians last week, when the federal government announced it wil! spend $7 milfion on added security measures for passports. If you plan on travelling anywhere outside Ca- nada’s borders, you — and your children — are going to need one. Foreign affairs officials have always advised Canadian travellers to use valid passports as identification when heading to the United States — or abroad. The U.5. now requires all Canadians lo pro- duce picture identification at border crossings and at airport customs. There are changes to the passport application process for Canadians as well. Applicants will be now asked to provide their - employment and residential -history, and. back- ground information and checks on guarantors will be enhanced. Children under 16 will also need their own passports to travel. Post Sept. 11, the government is pushing ahead with plans to develop a high-security pas- sport designed to make fraud more difficult, in- cluding embedded photos, holograms, and other security features. The government is also developing a pilot project that uses biometric features — think DNA samples, fingerprints or even iris scanning — help verify the passport owner's identity, It also plans to introduce ‘a new identity card for Canadians wilh landed immigrant status or who are here on work and student visas. Since the attacks on the ULS., the number of Canadians applying for passports has risen by more than 40 per cent. Government officials say that’s probably be- cause people want identification that helps them travel with less hassle. Birth and baptism certifi- cates, for example, are no longer accepted as valid identification by U.S. customs authorities. o pay for security shals are necessarily the an- swer, and he has little confi- dence in the federal govern- ment’s ability to create an effi- A TERRORIST may never hi- jack a plane in. northwestern B.C., but airline passengers here can expect to pay more for new security measures an- nounced in last week’s federal budget. At the moment, it remains unclear if any of the $2.2 billion in new security measures will actually make an appearance at lacal airports ~ or at the south terminal in Vancouver, a desti- nation for smaller passenger carriers, including -Terrace’s Hawkair Aviation. Boosted security measures will include bomb detectors at larger airports, sky marshals on selected domestic and interna- tional flights, reinforced cockpit doors on aircraft, and increased screening of passengers and their belongings before they board a plane. Canadian airlines will also provide personal data on pas- sengets bound for the U.5. “We're fully supportive of all the new measures,” North- west Regional Airport manager Rick Reed said,- But the fees ‘are another issue.’ ~ Passengers will pay a $12 ; security fee per or Tee or $24 for do round trip. Over the next five years, bomb detectors — explosives detection sysiems, or EDS - will be installed at airports cov- ering 99 per cent of the air pas- senger traffic in the country, Transpart Canada says. “It is quite possible that we will have this equipment here,” Reed said, pointing out that once passengers board a plane here, they can travel anywhere “f don’t think there’s going to be a difference except for the staff,” Rod Hayward of Hawkair Aviation said. Hayward views Air Canada as the main beneficiary of the security package, since airlines have until now paid for security costs themselves — a cost inclu- ded in the ticket before Nav Canada fees, a Transport Cana- da fuel surcharge, GST and air- port passenger fees are added. “I'm very disappointed. Airline travel is now in the front line of the war against terrorism, and I've never heard of a user-pay war before.” in Canada without passing through security again. “If you look at it logically, it only seems reasonable. We are the entry point to secure areas.” Others aren’t so sure. A new agency called the Canadian Air Transport Secur- ily Authority will be overseeing security measures, something the airlines have been respons- ible for — until now, Aniong other things, the new authority will be. responsible for certifying and testing security | “You can bet your bottom dollar Air Canada will not be lowering ucket prices,” he said. Short-haul, low-fare passen- gers will be unfairly penalized by the $12 per leg security fee, he added. George Clark, owner of Elan Travel in Terrace, agreed. "I'm very. disappointed,” he said. “Aitline travel is now in the front line of the war against terrorism, and I’ve never heard of a user-pay wat before,” Clark doesn’t think sky mar- cient security system. Besides, he said, “If airports are secure, (terrorists will] just look al something else to at- tack, apart from the airliner.” — Clark said Ottawa should use the money i! collects in the form of ils fuel surcharge each passenger pays per leg to cover security casts. The cost of a round trip tick- et ta Vancouver on Canadian Regional Airlines booked 14- days in advance is $305. But existing surcharges and airport fees add another $65.02 onto the cost of that round trip ticket, bringing the total to $370.22. That includes 7 per cent GST, a Nav Canada fee of $15, an airline fuel surcharge of $20, and 36 for airline insurance. Air passengers here pay a $19 surcharge to the Terrace airport, and another $5 airport improvement fee in Vancouver on top of their ticket price when the return. ‘The new security fee means the price for. a round-trip ticket at the lowest. fare will cost $394.22. |. ae Airline passengers are al- LINEUPS now stretch hundreds of metres inside the Van- couver airport as passengers wait to pass through intensi- fied security In the wake of the Sept. 11 terror attacks. ready paying for tougher screening. measures in terms of their time. Anyone booked for a domes- tic flight leaving the main ter- minal in Vancouver or other major hubs should plan to check in at least 90 minutes ahead of boarding time. On a Sunday afternoon two weeks ago, the lineup for the security check at the Vancou- ver International Airport stret- ched hundreds. of metres inside the terminal,-as secruity staff painstakingly screened. each _and every passeriger — and their catty on luggage.