Liberals say they’ll vote in favour of Bill C-51, despite hoping for changes
Canadian author Margaret Atwood and singer-songwriter Sarah Harmer are voicing complaints about the Conservatives’ proposed anti-terrorism bill, asking Liberal MPs from their communities to vote against it.
In particular, Harmer and Atwood have got their backs up over the Liberals’ pledge to support the bill, despite saying they would change it if they win power in next fall’s election.
“[Prime Minister Stephen Harper] is attacking our rights & freedoms,” Atwood tweeted at Toronto MP Adam Vaughan, a Liberal.
“Please do the right thing and #voteagainstC51.”
Harmer retweeted Atwood’s message, tagging Kingston, Ont., Liberal MP Ted Hsu.
The NDP and the Green Party oppose C-51, which has gone through the committee stage in the House of Commons and is set to return to the floor of the House next week.
The legislation is a late-bloomer in this session, having been tabled less than a year before the 2015 election.
The NDP is using procedural tactics to delay the bill and has tabled 66 deletion motions which could, depending on how the votes are grouped, slow the House agenda. The party is also asking its supporters to go directly to Liberal MPs to tell them to vote against the bill.
Sweeping powers
Opponents argue the pendulum has swung too far toward security and away from civil liberties.
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