Original author: Debora Bourque, National President
of Canadian Union of Postal Workers (CUPW)
Source: Coalition Justice pour Adil Charakoui
Date: March 24, 2004


March 24, 2004

FAX: 992-4284
E-mail: [email]

Right Honourable Paul Martin Prime Minister of Canada House
of Commons Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0A6

Dear Mr. Prime Minister:

On behalf of the 55,000 members of the Canadian Union of Postal Workers, I am writing to express our deep concern over the imprisonment of Adil Charkaoui and four other Muslim men - Mohammad Mahjoub, Mahmoud Jaballah, Hassan Almrei and Mohamed Harkat. All five men have been imprisoned for months and even years without charge, on the basis of evidence that neither they nor their lawyers are allowed to see. They face deportation to their countries of origin where, according to Amnesty International, it is probable that they will suffer further violations of their rights, such as torture - just like Maher Arar.

The security certificate procedure violates the fundamental rules of justice and constitutes an unacceptable attack on rights and freedoms, which include the right to a full defence and a fair and just trial.

CUPW is completely opposed to sacrificing rights and freedoms in the name of national security. If intelligence services have a case against these men, they should lay formal charges so that the five have access to a just and fair trial, including complete access to information being used against them, which they required to prepare a full defence.

CUPW strongly urges you to take immediate and effective action to ensure that these five men are immediately released or formally charged, security certificates are abolished and deportations to countries where torture is used are ended.

Sincerely,

Deborah Bourque, National President.


CC: Judy Sgro, Minister of Immigration
(fax 947-8319 - e-mail: Sgro.J @parl.gc.ca)

Ken Georgetti, President, CLC

National Executive Committee,
National Union Representatives and Specialists, CUPW

by Stephen Humphrey Source: Toronto NOW URL: [link] Date: March 11, 2004 If these Muslims are terrorists, why are they not being tried under 9/11 bill?

For those trying to follow the effects of post-9/11 security crackdowns, the trail through Toronto courts over the last number of months is sure to confuse. This week in another of the seemingly endless series of hearings, Mahmoud Jaballah, one of five Muslim immigrants held in the Metro West Detention Centre without charges under suspicion of terrorist involvement, was denied bail. In a strange turn of events, however, these security cases are being heard not under the much-criticized anti-terrorism Bill C-36, with its sweeping powers of investigation and arrest, but under the immigration security certificate procedure. Critics charge that this process, part of the CSIS apparatus, is a blank cheque for arrest without warrant, open-ended detention and secretive proceedings. And, ironically, many of those who have criticized C-36 say that, scary as it may be, that legislation at least contains such rudiments of due process as specific charges, disclosure of evidence and cross-examination.



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Included below are two letters that were recently sent to Anne McLellan regarding the injustice of security certificates and the secret trials that come of them. One was written by me (Brian O'Connor). I borrowed heavily from Matthew Behren's sample letter. The other is an email written by Linda Belanger. Please consider writing to Ms. McLellan yourself. ========================== Date: February 6, 2004 Dear Ms. McLellan, I am sending you four pens which do not work (enclosed) so that the next time CSIS comes to you to sign a secret trial security certificate, you won't have the ink to do so. As a result of the issuing of security certificates there are now six individuals (five of them Muslim men) who have been detained in Canada without charge or bail. One man has been held in solitary confinement for 27 full months. Four of these men are married, and among them are 11 children who are separated by thick concrete and steel bars from their fathers.

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Source: Canadian Press (CP) URL: [link] Date: February 10, 2004 RCMP spies, other intelligence agencies need better oversight, report explains

OTTAWA (CP) - The government must fill gaps in the patchwork of watchdog agencies keeping an eye on Canada's spies, the auditor general says. There should be "more consistency in the extent of independent review" of the intrusive powers of federal intelligence services, Sheila Fraser said in her report today. She added her voice to the chorus calling for more scrutiny of the RCMP's security activities, noting the complaints commission currently overseeing the Mounties does "very limited" review of intelligence-related cases.

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The Canadian Council for Refugees has issued a press release expressing alarm at changes to the security certificate process. Read the press release here: [link] En francais ici: [link]

Original author: unknown
Source: Canadian Council for Refugees Listserv
Date: January 8, 2004

To: ICLMG members and friends

Below are the orders in council by which certain parts of CIC are transferred to the new Border Agency and the responsibility for decisions relating to those aspects to Anne McLellan (Solicitor General, styled Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness). This means that decisions on enforcement related matters (e.g. decisions on countries with a temporary stay of removals) are made by Anne McLellan, not Judy Sgro.

One of the effects of this is that the security certificate used to be signed by 2 Ministers (Citizenship and Immigration and Solicitor General, IRPA 77(1)), but it now seems that only one Minister will sign it, since the 2 roles are combined.


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Original author: unknown
Source: Justice for Adil Charkaoui Listserv
URL: [link]
Date: December 21 2003


These days we are being told that we must chose between "our" security and "our" rights. But what is security without rights? If we are not securing our rights, what are we securing? And how can "we" have security if some are denied their rights? Whose security are we being asked to protect and whose are we being asked to deny?

Please consider signing on to the statement below, demanding a fair and just trial for Adil Charkaoui and the other refugees and immigrants held under Security Certificates. OUR rights and OUR security are at stake.

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Original author: Lisa Lisle Source: The Ottawa Sun Date: December 8, 2003 Pen mightier than pen Jailed Harkat writes to wife of reunion

He was arrested at gunpoint, labelled a terrorist, held in solitary confinement for almost a year and has now lost part of his legal team due to death threats. However, Mohamed Harkat remains optimistic about his case and believes there is a higher purpose for all he and his family have endured in the past year. In very personal letters to his wife and most ardent supporter, Sophie, shared exclusively with the Ottawa Sun, Harkat writes about his love and appreciation for her and makes plans for the future -- a future that he believes involves him living as a free man in Canada.

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Date: December 10, 2003

Dear Ms. Harkat,

I am sorry I cannot be with you this evening as you mark this sad milestone. As you are aware, New Democrats have grave concerns with the federal government's use of Ministerial certificates that violate the rights of citizens in their so-called defence of our democracy.

All Canadian citizens deserve equal treatment enshrined in our Constitution. Yet the federal government has enacted legislation that opens the door to the rights of certain citizens being violated on the basis of race, religion and place of birth. We cannot allow this to happen in the name of 'national security'.

The words of American Congresswoman, Barbara Lee who alone voted against George Bush's war escalation seem more apt and sobering than ever:

"IN THE ATTEMPT TO DEFEAT TERRORISM, LET US NOT BECOME THE ENEMIES WE DEPLORE".

New Democrats will continue to defend the rights of all Canadians.

Sincerely,

Alexa McDonough
MP Halifax NDP
Foreign Affairs Critic, Lead Peace Advocate

Auteur: Robert Marois Date: 10 décembre 2003 Deux Poèmes de Robert Marois Auteur: Robert Marois Date: 10 décembre 2003

Ces poèmes n apportent pas de réponse la guerre contre le terrorisme. Ils veulent simplement rappeler tous et toutes qu une telle guerre ne peut se faire sans victimes innocentes et que la propagande haineuse qui l accompagne vise museler l opinion publique en laissant croire que nous sommes entourés de d êtres dangereux qu il faut éliminer par tous les moyens. Poème silencieux

Seulement quelques lignes pour expliquer pourquoi. Parce que durant sa courte existence il n a pas trouvé les mots pour décrire l humiliation. Personne ne l a compris. Cet enfant qui jouait la guerre dans la guerre s amusait-il? Ce n était peut-être que le sourire de la misère? Pouvait-il bénir la terre lorsqu elle lui glissait sous les pieds?

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