Waging diplomacy

The situation in Syria continues to deteriorate, and those paying the price are the millions of civilians. Lloyd Axworthy and Allan Rock offer an insightful perspective on the conflict (Our Moment to ‘Wage Diplomacy,’ Feb. 17).

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s decision to withdraw from the bombing campaign against the Islamic State, coupled with humanitarian assistance and an “open doors-open arms” policy toward Syrian refugees, have allowed Canada to brandish its strengths beyond our able military.

Canada’s additional strength is its diplomatic tool box; understanding and engaging a complicated and complex part of the world is not advanced with a simplistic retort of bombs, but requires the skilled use of Canada’s diplomatic and humanitarian tools.

The post Waging Diplomacy: Letter to the Globe and Mail appeared first on National Council on Canada-Arab Relations.

As part of the Your Voice voter education campaign, the Canadian-Arab Institute, in partnership with the National Council on Canada-Arab Relations, continued their webinar series with a special webinar on national security and civil rights.

Watch this webinar to learn about legislation and cases that have impacted Arabs and Muslims over the past year. To what extent does Bill C-51 threat Canadian’s rights? Whose citizenship is in danger of revocation following the passage of Bill C-24? Did you know that Canada has a law that is called Zero Tolerance for Barbaric Cultural Practices Act?

Our Presenters

Faisal Kutty

Faisal Kutty is an associate professor and director of the International LL.M. Program at Valparaiso University Law School in Indiana and an adjunct professor at Osgoode Hall Law School of York University.

He is a co-founder and currently serves as counsel to KSM Law, a Toronto-based law firm. During his 18-year legal career he has represented dozens of individuals and institutions caught up in anti-terror investigations and national security matters.

He co-founded and served as general counsel for the Canadian Muslim Civil Liberties Association (CMCLA) while still a law student.  He also co-founded and served as vice-chair and legal counsel to the Canadian Council on American Islamic Relations (CAIR-CAN) now known as the National Council of Canadian Muslims (NCCM).

He is a regular commentator on anti-terrorism law, national security, Islamic law, constitutional law, human rights and Muslims. He has been quoted in numerous academic and non-academic publications and by media outlets around the world.  His Opeds have appeared in The Toronto Star, The National Post, The Globe and Mail, Al Jazeera, Arab News, Al ahram, Indian Express and numerous other publications. He also blogs at the Huffington Post.

Raja Khouri

Rula Odeh 

The post Watch our Webinar on National Security and Civil Rights appeared first on National Council on Canada-Arab Relations.

NCCAR’s Media and Policy Analysis team will be developing non-partisan, educational “Key Points and Backgrounders” accessible to the public on a series of topics such as Canadian policy on Syrian refugees, potential impact of “security” policies as well as foreign policy in the Middle East and the Arab Word. NCCAR will also provide its perspectives on these issues.

These “Key Points and Backgrounders” are featured as part of Your Voice voter education campaign which NCCAR is a partner in along with the Canadian-Arab Institute.

Issue:

The Antiterrorism Act, 2015 (Bill C-51) was passed by the Government of Canada earlier this year to expand Canada’s anti-terror laws.

Background:

As a result of a lone gun man’s terrorist attack on Parliament Hill on October 22, 2014, the government introduced legislation to expand the powers of CSIS and the RCMP, increasing information sharing and creating new Criminal Code for offenses such as promoting terrorism.

Considerations:

What have politicians been saying?

NDP leader Mr. Thomas Mulcair strongly opposed Bill C-51 and has called into question the necessity of many of these measures, suggesting that Canada’s new security legislation is an unnecessary infringement on the civil liberties of Canadians and an overreaction to an isolated attack. Mr. Mulcair offered several amendments to the bill, including oversight of CSIS powers by a body of elected officials. Liberal leader Mr. Justin Trudeau voted in favour of Bill C-51 and specified that his party, if elected to government, would introduce legislation to amend the law to heighten protections for the individual rights of Canadians. Green Party leader Ms. Elizabeth May also said she would present amendments but strongly opposed the bill as it moved Canada towards a police state.

What have commentators and experts been saying in the media?

The concerns expressed have been in the following areas:

1. The use of broad and undefined terms leaves a disproportionate amount of unchecked discretion in the hands of law enforcement.
2. The limits on Charter rights are likely to be challenged in the courts and distract from genuine efforts of law enforcement officials to protect Canada.
3. Community-based programs such as the RCMP’s new counter-extremism initiative, among other progressive programs will likely be undermined and create additional challenges for law enforcement to identify and prevent terror threats.
4. The Antiterrorism Act, 2015 is likely to be selectively applied with the potential to alienate and marginalize Arab Canadians while turning a blind eye to a range of threats to Canada’s national security.

NCCAR’s Perspective:

The implications of the Antiterrorism Act, 2015 as adopted concerns NCCAR. National security and the protection of all Canadians is essential for a thriving democracy. However, national security must be balanced with democratic freedoms while ensuring law enforcement are provided with effective tools which comply with the Charter. Absent time-tested judicial checks and parliamentary oversight, the Antiterrorism Act results in a Faustian bargain that trades away core Canadian values with the potential to alter the fabric of Canada’s democracy by moving towards unchecked state and police powers.

To read the complete document with the Key points and Backgrounder, click here.

The post NCCAR’s Key Points on C-51 appeared first on National Council on Canada-Arab Relations.

NCCAR’s Media and Policy Analysis team will be developing non-partisan, educational “Key Points and Backgrounders” accessible to the public on a series of topics such as Canadian policy on Syrian refugees, potential impact of “security” policies as well as foreign policy in the Middle East and the Arab Word. NCCAR will also provide its perspectives on these issues.

These “Key Points and Backgrounders” are featured as part of Your Voice voter education campaign which NCCAR is a partner in along with the Canadian-Arab Institute.

Issue:

The Conservative Party is proposing criminalizing travel by Canadians to areas where terrorist activity is identified.

Background:

During an election campaign pledge on August 9, 2015, Mr. Stephen Harper proposed that he would bring in legislation that would make it a criminal offence to travel to “declared areas…places that are ground zero for terrorist activity…where government is non-existent and violence is widespread and brutal.” The proposal suggests that national security agencies would be able to track Canadians traveling to such areas and those who return would be required to prove that they were in the region for humanitarian purposes, as a journalist covering the conflict or that they were fighting ISIS or an enemy of Canada.

Considerations:

What have politicians been saying?

NDP leader Mr. Tom Mulcair said there is little evidence such a measure would have any impact on efforts against radicalization, while Liberal leader Mr. Justin Trudeau said the promise was intended to distract voters from economic issues.  But Mr. Trudeau did not dismiss the idea of a travel ban out of hand. Mr. Mulcair suggested, “It won’t make a big difference practically speaking,” and clarified, “we’re not going to be against something that, theoretically at least, could help combat terrorism.”

What have commentators and experts been saying in the media?

The concerns expressed have been in the following areas:

1. The Charter of Rights and Freedoms protects Canadians rights to mobility and to be presumed innocent. The proposal offends the Charter, in particular, by creating a presumption of guilt simply for travelling to certain parts of the world.
2. There are already laws enacted in Canada to deal with terrorism offences.
3. The criminalization of travel will mostly impact Canadians travelling to Arab countries and is not an effective use of limited law enforcement resources for fighting terrorism.
4. Canadians who need to visit various areas in the Middle East for work, education, family or humanitarian reasons are likely to be stigmatized and may deter desperately needed support and engagement for civilians caught in a crisis zone.

NCCAR’s Perspective:

The proposal by the Conservative Party to criminalize travel to designated parts of the world concerns NCCAR. While the intention to empower counterterrorism efforts is a laudable goal, the means chosen could result in unintended consequences and undermine the primary objective of protecting Canadians at the expense of core values in the Charter of Rights and Freedoms. It is equally important that stakeholders be consulted to explore the most effective options to protect Canadians from terrorism without alienating certain groups of Canadians who must travel to conflict zones.

In brief, NCCAR is concerned that the criminalization of travel to conflict zones not only offends long-standing Canadian values such as the presumption of innocence and mobility rights as embodied in the Charter, but also has the potential to stigmatize Canadians who must travel to conflict zones in Arab countries for work, education, family or humanitarian reasons. In addition, such a ban on travel could negatively impact Canada’s relations with the Arab countries identified and the civilians trapped inside the designated areas. Further, Canada may be perceived as turning its back on civilians when they are most in need by discouraging travel and assistance to conflict zones.

To read the complete document with the Key points and Backgrounder, click here.

The post NCCAR’s Key Points on Travel Ban appeared first on National Council on Canada-Arab Relations.

• “Security, Rights and Freedoms – Canadian Perspectives”
• “Identity Politics – Canadian Perspectives”

Our team curates commentary and analysis from The Globe and Mail, Toronto Star, National Post, Ottawa Citizen, Montreal Gazette, iPolitics and more on a daily basis.

Security, Rights and Freedoms – Canadian Perspectives

What are Canadian commentators and analysts saying about this topic? How about Canadian parliamentarians and parties? Flip through our magazine – click here or on the image below – and give us your feedback! Let your network know about this valuable resource.

Identity Politics – Canadian Perspectives

The latest debate about identity politics involving Canadians of Arab or Muslim background. Click here or on the image below. Your feecback is appreciated. Share widely!

Disclaimer: The views expressed in articles are the authors’ own and do not necessarily reflect the views of NCCAR. We encourage readers to share their own opinions directly with any media outlet they would like to connect with.

The post NCCAR Launches Two New “Perspectives” Magazines on Timely and Important Issues appeared first on National Council on Canada-Arab Relations.

News Release

NCCAR Warns of Discrimination and Damage From New Screening Procedures

Ottawa, ON, 8 January, 2010 – The National Council on Canada-Arab Relations (NCCAR) is concerned about new “country-of-origin”  screening measures by the United States that will negatively impact Canadians. These measures will likely mean discriminatory, invasive, costly and burdensome scrutiny for any Canadians entering the U.S. who have recently visited, or originate from, nine Arab countries.These nine countries are: Algeria, Iraq, Lebanon, Libya, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen. NCCAR calls on the Canadian government to ensure Canadians’ rights are respected in accordance with the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms which ensures equality for all and guards against discrimination based on “race, national or ethnic origin, colour, religion, sex , age, age or mental or physical disability.” Firstly, this means ensuring that the new U.S. screening rules do not impact Canadians’ rights. NCCAR notes that Canadians are already experiencing racially-motivated stoppages at the U.S. border. Secondly, this means ensuring any new Canadian screening procedures that will be developed and implemented for entry into Canada also respect Canadian rights and values and are not merely a replica of U.S. procedures. NCCAR does note that, according to a CBC news report, “Transport Minister John Baird said Canada would have to review a U.S. plan to single out travelers arriving from specific countries for additional screening at airports to see whether adopting it might violate the rights of Canadians.” Moreover, “Prime Minister Stephen Harper left open the possibility in an interview with the CBC’s Peter Mansbridge on Tuesday that Canada might not follow suit with similar restrictions and develop its own security policy.” NCCAR believes any security problems must be addressed with effective, efficient, evidence-based and credible solutions to the actual root causes of security failures including inadequate and improper collection, integration and use of intelligence and evidence on specific individuals and groups. Diverting valuable resources to a mass-suspicion approach such as “country-of-origin” screening procedures is deeply problematic and highly discriminatory. Full body scans are invasive and of dubious security benefit. Canadians, whether they are of Arab origin or simply visit the Arab World for business and pleasure, contribute significantly to Canadian society and its economy. Given their development of successful businesses, organizations and professional careers and their building of bridges with the Arab World, it is vital not to hurt these Canadians and their endeavors as they travel to the U.S. and Canada. “Canadians and people from the Arab World have longstanding and productive exchanges in areas of trade, education, culture and tourism,” said Mark Khoury, vice-president of NCCAR. “It would be a real loss to damage these important and valuable links with “security” measures that are neither effective nor in line with Canadian rights and values.”

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Contact: Rula Odeh, President Office: 613.238.3795 Mobile: 514.559.4090 Email: nccar@nccar.ca

The National Council on Canada-Arab Relations (NCCAR) is a charitable organization whose mission is to build ties between Canadians and people of the Arab World in order to develop stronger relations and cooperation between them as well as an appreciation of their common values. NCCAR is a member-driven organization supported by Canadians of diverse backgrounds across Canada. www.nccar.caLe conseil national des relations canado-arabes est une organisation charitable dont l’objet est de tisser des liens entre les Canadiennes et Canadiens et les gens dans le monde arabe, de manière à développer des relations plus fortes et reconnaître les valeurs qu’ils tiennent en commun. Le Conseil vit du dynamisme de ses membres et jouit de l’appui de Canadiens de diverses origines à travers le pays. www.nccar.ca To receive your own copy of NCCAR Communications, please enter your email here to join our list.

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