Mr. Speaker, this year marks the 25th anniversary of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms. The charter is not just a document but a statement of our values, a statement of our respect for the rule of law and, most important, a statement of our respect for the rights and the privacy of our citizens.
Similarly, the 50th anniversary of the United Nations charter has been celebrated. Once again, this is not just a document but a statement of noble ideals, including basic respect for human rights.
Since the terrible attacks on September 11, 2001, there has been a concentrated effort on the part of some individuals and groups to erode the basic rights, including the rights to privacy.
We are speaking today not about a specific policy but about another incremental step on a road that leads not to where we want to go as a people but where our values and traditions tell us we ought not to tread.
Secure flight is another such erosion of these basic rights. We can only ask once again that the government do what is right: protect the rights of Canadians.