Bill S-7 (Historical)

Combating Terrorism Act

An Act to amend the Criminal Code, the Canada Evidence Act and the Security of Information Act

This bill was last introduced in the 41st Parliament, 1st Session, which ended in September 2013.

Status

This bill has received Royal Assent and is now law.

Summary

This is from the published bill. The Library of Parliament often publishes better independent summaries.

This enactment replaces sections 83.28 to 83.3 of the Criminal Code to provide for an investigative hearing for the purpose of gathering information for an investigation of a terrorism offence and to allow for the imposition of a recognizance with conditions on a person to prevent them from carrying out a terrorist activity. In addition, the enactment provides for those sections to cease to have effect or for the possible extension of their operation. The enactment also provides that the Attorney General of Canada and the Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness include in their respective annual reports their opinion on whether those sections should be extended. It also amends the Criminal Code to create offences of leaving or attempting to leave Canada to commit certain terrorism offences.
The enactment also amends the Canada Evidence Act to allow the Federal Court to order that applications to it with respect to the disclosure of sensitive or potentially injurious information be made public and to allow it to order that hearings related to those applications be heard in private. In addition, the enactment provides for the annual reporting on the operation of the provisions of that Act that relate to the issuance of certificates and fiats.
The enactment also amends the Security of Information Act to increase, in certain cases, the maximum penalty for harbouring a person who committed an offence under that Act.
Lastly, it makes technical amendments in response to a parliamentary review of these Acts.

Elsewhere

All sorts of information on this bill is available at LEGISinfo, an excellent resource from the Library of Parliament. You can also read the full text of the bill.

Votes

April 24, 2013 Passed That the Bill be now read a third time and do pass.
Oct. 23, 2012 Passed That the Bill be now read a second time and referred to the Standing Committee on Public Safety and National Security.

Public Safety and National Security Committee, on Nov. 19, 2012

  • Donald Piragoff, Senior Assistant Deputy Minister, Policy Sector, Department of Justice
  • Glenn Gilmour, Counsel, Criminal Law Policy Section, Department of Justice

Public Safety and National Security Committee, on Nov. 21, 2012

Public Safety and National Security Committee, on Nov. 26, 2012

  • Geoffrey Leckey, Director General, Intelligence and Targeting Operations, Canada Border Services Agency
  • Sébastien Aubertin-Giguère, Executive Director, Risk Management and Foresight Division, Program Branch, Canada Border Services Agency
  • James Malizia, Assistant Commissioner, National Security Criminal Investigations and Protective Policing Branch, Royal Canadian Mounted Police
  • Stephen Irwin, Inspector, Intelligence Division, Toronto Police Service

Public Safety and National Security Committee, on Nov. 28, 2012

  • Maureen Basnicki, Co-founder, Canadian Coalition Against Terror
  • Bal Gupta, Chair, Air India 182 Victims Families Association
  • Rob Alexander, Committee Member and Spokesperson, Air India 182 Victims Families Association
  • Carmen Cheung, Counsel, British Columbia Civil Liberties Association
  • Nathalie Des Rosiers, General Counsel, Canadian Civil Liberties Association

Public Safety and National Security Committee, on Dec. 3, 2012

  • Jeff Yaworski, Assistant Director, Operations, Canadian Security Intelligence Service
  • Monik Beauregard, Director, Integrated Terrorism Assessment Centre
  • Marilou Reeve, Staff Lawyer, Canadian Bar Association
  • Paul Calarco, Member, National Criminal Justice Section, Canadian Bar Association
  • Denis Barrette, Spokesperson, International Civil Liberties Monitoring Group

Public Safety and National Security Committee, on Dec. 10, 2012