YIKES! The Internet Campaign Issue That Should Have Been

You thought User Based Billing was the Internet-related campaign issue? Well, maybe it was, but it should have been this.

Writing before the election, Michael Geist sums up the various parties' platforms related to the Internet. Then he goes on to critique the Conservatives new Tough on Internet Crime Act.

And YIKES! the issues go waaay beyond the 'speechies' concerns.

First, the process problems: the bill was never debated extensively; there were no committee hearings; and privacy commissioners have deep concerns about it.

Second, more important than process is the substance of the proposals that have the potential to fundamentally reshape the Internet in Canada. The bills contain a three-pronged approach focused on information disclosure, mandated surveillance technologies, and new police powers.

Warrantless wiretapping, real-time surveillance, data storage for police purposes.

All in the name of fighting Internet crime and, of course, those evul evul child pornographers.

'But I don't have anything to worry about. I'm not a criminal.'

That's the kind of thinking that led to the biggest mass arrest in Canadian history.

This could be a terrific issue for the Fucking Useless Opposition®.

Go read the whole thing.

Then, find your (new?) Member of Parliament and let him or her know what you think. Act fast. The Contempt Party of Canada intends to pass this in its first 100 days. Has the clock started ticking yet?

h/t Mark Francis in the comments.

Sheep Look Up. . .

. . . or at least at YouTube.

Seems Chet was right. Commenting on my despairing post on this poll, indicating that 73 per cent of Canadians were good with the G8/G20 police state, he said:

Most people thought the War Measures Act was justified when Trudeau used it. It's early days yet.

That poll was published on June 30 (doesn't say when it was taken).

Here's another poll -- albeit online -- going on right now.

The figures are completely reversed with 72 per cent now saying that the police response was not appropriate.

We've got to keep up the pressure. And make sure the shit lands where it should.

Right here:



Update from deBeauxOs: via a tweet from A_Z, a news item says an independent civilian inquiry into G-20 police tactics has just been approved by the Toronto Police Services Board.