Protecting Canadians from Terrorism

Our Conservative Government has consistently worked to help keep our streets and communities safe. This includes legislation to combat organized crime, crack down on gun crime and get tough on violent and repeat offenders. We’re building on this record through the Anti-Terrorism Act 2015, which will help combat terrorism and keep Canadians safe.
The need for this legislation has been tragically highlighted by events around the world, from France to Australia. Events in Canada, with horrific attacks in St. Jean-sur-Richelieu and at the War Memorial and Parliament in Ottawa, show that we are not immune here at home. That’s why our Conservative Government is introducing a series of measures that will help prevent terrorism.
Our proposed legislation will combat the promotion of terrorism. This includes criminalizing the promotion of terrorist attacks, giving law enforcement an additional tool to counter radicalization and recruitment.
It will also give our courts the ability to order the removal of online terrorist propaganda, when hosted in Canada. This measure would apply to printed and audio materials, as well as online material, promoting carrying out terrorist offences.
Our legislation will also give the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) the ability, under judicial authority, to intervene to disrupt terrorist plots before they can be carried out. It will make it easier to share information across federal agencies and departments when the information sharing would enhance national security. These measures will give law enforcement and national security agencies the necessary tools to better protect our communities.
Moreover, these new powers will remain under strong oversight, to help ensure they are used properly. As Prime Minister Stephen Harper said, “These new measures have been carefully chosen to be both strong and practical, to enhance our security in a way that strengthens our rights.”
All this builds on a record of working to help keep our communities safe, including previous legislation to combat terrorism. The Combating Terrorism Act made it an offence to leave Canada for terrorist purposes. We also amended the Citizenship Act, enabling the government to deny citizenship to permanent residents, and to revoke citizenship from dual citizens, who have been convicted of a terrorist offence.
Through our proposed legislation, we are standing up for Canadian values and freedoms, including the rights of speech, association and religion. Canadians can count on our Conservative Government to help keep our communities safe.