159-124. The Sunset Clauses are officially defeated and will not be renewed.

I am glad that it did not pass, but I am sick to death of the the Conservatives running down Dion, at every breath.The Globe and Mail letters are terrible..the Conservatives are out fullforce running down Dion.
As for the Court’s views, and the result of this vote, I bet Pierre is smiling.

I have faith there are more Canadians out there who reject the politics of fear and smear and who value our civil liberties then there are of Canadians who want to hide under a rock and and who think we need to take away our freedoms from the society. It is those Canadians that the earlier quote I left from Benjamin Franklin refers to: Those who would sacrifice liberty for a little security deserve neither liberty nor security.

Is the Supreme Court pro-terrorist too, Mike? Even those 2 Conservative appointed judges apparently are, including the Chief Justice. Are you smear-artists going to be attacking them as well?

Time for some pedantry.

We are not sure that Franklin was the author, and it’s misquoted:

“Those who would give up Essential Liberty to purchase a little Temporary Safety deserve neither Liberty nor Safety.”

Source: http://www.futureofthebook.com/stories/storyReader605

Oh, I think the vote was just great, by the way.

Got a call from the Rae leadership team, last night. They wanted to know, if I was interested in helping to prepare for another leadership bid.

It seems they think that Dion will fall on his face and be pushed out,soon.

What’s going on ?

Posters at smalldeadanimals are saying that 25 Liberal ducked the vote and were not in the House. Is that true?? does anyone know??

Leftdog: They dont know what they’re talking about.

A dozen were absent. 4 of those 12 were known supporters of the Sunset Clauses. 2 others had legitimate reasons to be away apparently (Dosaanjh and Graham).

Not bad when all things are considered.

Angus Reid also said that a massive majority of Canadians thought Harper was in the wrong for smearing Navdeep Bains and the majority also said he should apologize.

Canadians hate American-style gutter politics and smear… and that will wipe away any advantage the Tories think they might have on the issue. Shame on them.

I also give mad props to Cotler for taking a principled stance on this vote.

A “principled stand?” Abstaining?

Still doesn’t answer my question.
I’m no insider, went to a lunch put on by Rae last summer and have been on the call list ever since. I knew Libs were cut throat but you gotta give a guy a chance. Organizing for a leadership run less the 3 months after a new leader, not you, was chosen. Ouch !
But really the party should have chosen Rae or Kennedy.

Centre, read the question asked. Do you really think that was an honest poll? Preventative arrest…do you think most people know that that means being arrested without charge? Re-phrase the questions with honesty Ipsos, then watch the reply.

Please do not give credance where it is not due.

Dr. Dawg, actually Cotler chose, pricipled abstentia, so he was in the House and did not rise. I heard him before the vote and while he backed his Leader, so he was there, he had explained why he could not rise on this vote. I believe this was accepted by Dion. That’s fine for me and considering Cotler’s role in all of this looking back, I don’t know how he could have taken a different view.

Gayle, I suspect that the Lib’s have been drafting away. To be honest, I hope the con’s have too. I’d like to see something come to the House asap.

Joe Steel, pretty darned pathetic.

Thanks for the inspiring post, Scott. It’s great to feel proud to be Canadian again. (Let’s hope the feeling isn’t too fleeting.)

If I’m not mistaken the two measures in question were never used so stating that they “trampled our civil liberties and civil rights” is hyperbole at best. Do you REALLY feel like you live in a police state Scott or is this just another edition of “partisanship gone wild”!!

It was Dion and the Liberals who introduced these measures and the sunset clause was put in place to ensure an “out” in case of abuse. These measure were not abused so the clause should have been extended. But politics trumpts common sense and national security I guess.

“These measure were not abused so the clause should have been extended.”

Why? Not only were they not abused, they were not used. The potential exists for abuse and the police seem to be doing jsut fine without them, so why have them around.

Frankly, the burden of proof is on those who wanted these measures to be extended to make the case. They needed show, quite forcefully, that these measures must continue. They did not. The best they came up with was “it will scuttle Air India” - which didn’t hold water considering that the RCMP and government’s own reluctance to provide un-redacted evidence to Justice John Major is threatening to scuttle the inquiry. Considering that the RCMP, who have been investigating this crime for 22 years, have had access to these provisions for 5 years and never used them. Considering that the Conservatives themselves agreed in committee in October that the renewal wold only apply to future, new investigations not past one (thus excluding Air India) and as late as yesterday morning, Harper offered to agree to THAT agreement, essentially scuttling the Air India investigation as he implied the Liberals would do.

All of this for measures that are a clear danger to our civil rights, that have never been used - the police have foiled plots since 9-11 using good old fashioned police work (Toronto 17 anyone?). Clamoring to keep these measures to “protect” us from terrorism, despite the fact that we are more likely to die in a car accident, by drowning or by taking prescription drugs that by terrorist acts, seem rather silly. Cowardly almost.

I’m glad they are gone - good riddance to bad, unneeded laws with a huge potential for abuse.