Canada's Anti-Terrorism Act: creating a paradigm of insecurity?

On December 18, 2001, the Canadian government passed the Anti-Terrorism Act, a piece of omni-bus legislation aimed at preventing terrorist attacks. Since then criticisms of the Act have mounted, with many questioning the legitimacy of some of the Act’s more controversial provisions in a country which bills itself as a world leader in respect for human rights and individual freedoms. In passing the Anti-Terrorism Act the Canadian government put the very essence of Canadian values at risk. In so far as Canadian security is seen as a holistic and complete set of rules and processes, the Act serves to undermine the safety and security of Canadians more than it protects them.