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MP committee starts the ball rolling on fixing ‘problematic’ bill C-51

Demonstrators attend a protest on a national day of action against Bill C-51, the government's proposed anti-terrorism legislation, outside the Vancouver Art Gallery in downtown Vancouver, Saturday, March 14, 2015. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jonathan Hayward

OTTAWA – A House of Commons committee is calling for repeal of a provision that allows Canada’s spy agency to violate constitutional rights in the name of disrupting threats.

In a report today, the Liberal-dominated public safety committee also recommends requiring a judge’s approval for any Canadian Security Intelligence Service disruption operations that break Canadian law.

READ MORE: CSIS using Bill C-51 powers to collect intel on Canadians held in foreign prisons

In addition, the MPs call for the scope of activities subject to recently enacted information-sharing powers to be narrowed to make them consistent with other national security legislation.

Many of the recommendations appear to put flesh on the bones of Liberal promises to fix “problematic elements” of Conservative anti-terrorism legislation known as C-51.

The Trudeau government has committed to ensuring all CSIS warrants respect the Charter of Rights and Freedoms, to preserving legitimate protest and advocacy, and to defining terrorist propaganda more clearly.

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It has also pledged that appeals by Canadians on the no-fly list will be subject to mandatory review.

WATCH: Justin Trudeau responds to questions on amending Bill C-51  

Click to play video: 'Justin Trudeau responds to questions on amending Bill C-51'
Justin Trudeau responds to questions on amending Bill C-51

 

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