Members of the committee, it's my honour to be here today. As Steve mentioned, I'll take the remaining time to go over some of the specifics and use the U.S.'s recent experience to shine some light on specific policies.
My understanding of the bill is that it would enable most government institutions of Canada to share information for security purposes with those institutions that have law enforcement or security responsibilities. So, this is not the collection of additional data or additional programs, but this is merely breaking down the barriers between government organizations so that security organizations can access lawfully obtained information that is already in the government's possession. This policy makes eminently good sense and is similar to U.S. efforts following 9/11 to break down the silos of information, to ensure that security personnel have the best information available to them. Canada seems to have a robust set of privacy laws that govern the storage, use, and sharing of information, and oversight by a privacy commissioner and other review committees, somewhat analogous to the way the U.S. has installed privacy officers throughout government agencies. It's important that this new level of sharing be overseen by the privacy commissioner and the appropriate review commissions to ensure that sharing is done in accordance with the law.
Next, Bill C-51 tries to build on passenger protect, the Canadian no-fly list. Currently, the is authorized to deny transportation or require extra screening of any individual who is believed to be a threat to aviation security. Bill C-51 would expand this authority and also be used to stop or screen individuals who seek to fly somewhere else to engage in terrorism. In the U.S., we have a similar system with no-fly and selectee watch lists, but it is primarily focused on aviation security, not preventing terrorist travel. Bill C-51 seeks to combat such travel, and given the widespread concern about terrorists travelling to Syria and other locations in the world to commit terrorist acts, this addition is wise.
Additionally, Bill C-51 provides clear avenues for administrative and judicial recourse, an important thing since the appeals process for the U.S. No Fly list was found unconstitutional this past summer because of how difficult the process was to use. Bill C-51 would also make it easier for Canadian officials to stop terrorists before they strike. Bill C-51 would make it illegal to advocate for terrorism, and it would allow terrorist propaganda to be seized with judicial adjudication. The bill would also make it easier for law enforcement to seek an arrest warrant or conditions of recognizance against a suspected terrorist if such actions would “likely...prevent the carrying out of the terrorist activity.”