by arthur Weinreb, associate Editor,
January 19, 2004
When Paul Martin was sworn in as Canada’s new prime minister on December 12, a new government portfolio was created; the Department of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness. The very name seemed to suggest a change from the previous administration where Jean Chrétien and his cabinet (of which Paul Martin was a prominent member until June 2002) put a very low priority on Canada’s defense. With the possible exception of John Manley, the Chrétien cabinet acted as if the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks were no big deal and even if they were, it had nothing to do with this country. The former PM said as much on the first anniversary of the attacks when he blamed the arrogance of the West (read: The United States) for causing the deaths of over 3,000 people. So the creation of the new department gives the impression that Canada is now ready to take action against the possibility of terrorist attacks on Canadian soil.
The minister in charge of the new portfolio is Deputy Prime Minister anne McLellan, who happened to be Minister of Justice when the September 11 attacks occurred. In late November of that year, McLellan stated in the House that "a government’s primary obligation is first and foremost to ensure the safety and security of its people". She made a similar statement after assuming her new duties. The new ministry with its fancy schmancy title immediately sounds like the Canadian version of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security that President Bush created shortly after his country came under attack.
But any similarity to the Department of Homeland Security and Martin’s new ministry is, as they say, strictly coincidental. a statement issued by the Prime Minister’s Office on December 12, states in part, "While globalization offers enhanced opportunities for Canada, it also brings new risks, including new threats of disease, international criminal activity and terrorism". It is noteworthy that terrorism is listed third behind disease and international criminal activity. SaRS, a disease that killed less than 50 Canadians is more of a priority than the possibility of a terrorist attack that could kill thousands.
a couple of references are made to immigration in the government’s December 12 release. a portion of the release reads, "Protecting the interests of immigrants and refugees remains the responsibility of Citizenship and Immigration, which will continue to be present at all major airports and land crossings to issue immigration benefits, to greet new Canadians and to make immigration determinations which will be based on existing criteria. There will be consultations with stakeholders to fully define this presence." The stakeholders being referred to are of course immigrant and refugee groups.
In other words, the entry into Canada by foreign nationals will remain as it is and will not be included in the new Ministry of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness. It remains fully under Citizenship and Immigration whose prime directive seems to be to act like Wal-Mart greeters. Protecting Canadians from foreign terrorists will receive the same low priority that it has always had. The name of the new ministry gives the impression that security from terrorist attacks is being beefed up when, in fact, it’s not.
Regarding the public health aspect of the ministry; it is ironic that the Minister is anne McLellan who was Canada’s Health Minister when the SaRS epidemic broke out last year. McLellan essentially diddled and dawdled while the province of Ontario and the city of Toronto worked hard to contain the outbreak. about the only thing the feds did to combat the fear of SaRS was the photo/op that Chrétien had eating lunch in a Toronto Chinese restaurant. Had the federal government moved quickly, perhaps the World Health Organization would not have issued a travel advisory against Toronto.
The more things change, the more they stay the same. Protecting Canadians from possible terrorist attacks is no more a priority under Paul Martin than it was under Jean Chrétien. at least the former Prime Minister didn’t come up with a spanking new ministry full of sound and fury, signifying nothing.
anne McLellan is wrong. The number one priority of this country is not protecting Canadians — it’s tolerance. The government still has the attitude that we are so nice that no one will want to attack us. It’s so September 10th.