[Savvy27]

Originally Posted by Azure

So you think its more important to have freedom of rights, then protection of life?

Not that we are necessarily being threatened, but even so, I still believe security is more important then our freedom to access the internet without having the government watching us.

Although the manner in which they watch us is up for debate.

Yes I do think it is more important. I don't like how you stated it but even your way I would prefer a free society. The government cannot, even with this new power, stop all terrorist attacks from occuring, which doesn't mean that they shouldn't try, but to sacrifice the liberties of citizens for a possible intervention on possible attacks, is being incredibly short-sighted.

What frustrates me about this debate is that terrorists will never convince Canada or the US to leave the middle east through terror attacks, but they are having an incredible impact on OUR society. We are being dictated by fear they are instilling in us and its causing us to surrender our privacy.

It was just a thought.

I desire to live in both a secure and free society. You're taking this as if the government is restricting our freedom here. They may restrict our "privacy" but not our freedom.

You cannot be free if you are not afforded privacy. Your point doesn't make sense to me. I was saying that we are exchanging our free society for a more secure society, everyone wants security, but if you are giving up freedom for security then the best you can hope for is a balance between the two. My argument is that the government is going too far.

Of course. They already moniter child porn activities, what holds them back from monitering terrorist activities? After the arrest of the 18 suspected terrorists in Toronto, I think it should hit home with more people that Canada deals with the problem as well.

Isn't it implied that the tools available to CSIS and others are adequate to defend us from attacks if they are successful in averting the attack? The government was on to those guys for two years, but now they need unrestricted access to internet records to catch people?

So we should allow the idea of "freedom" to prevent out agencies of protecting "our" lives? Seems wierd that you value your idea of freedom over the very thing that protects it.

Yes. Yes we should allow our desire for personal freedom (I'm not sure why you would put such a thing in what appears to be sarcastic quotations... or the 'our') to prevent our agencies from ignoring our civil liberties in their pursuit of terrorists. I think its pretty weird that you are willing to allow our society to be gradually altered into something very different for the sake of protection.

I don't mean to be rude, but I think your acceptance of the government stripping away our rights in the name of national security is a cowardly way to live.

Passing "this" bill would be a mistake, yes. I think it gives the government TOO MUCH power to moniter our activities. But I also believe that the government should be able to do anything within its power to prevent a terrorist attack.

Why are we debating then? Do you honestly believe that the government should dictate which information on the internet is acceptable?

As far as the government doing what is in its power... the citizens have to control what power the government has if we want to control our own lives. That is why I oppose this bill.