Saturday 13 September 2014

Trudeau Opposes Revoking Canadian Passports of Would-be Terrorists

TORONTO - Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau confused holding a passport with citizenship - but doesn't think the government should be able to take away either from Canadians suspected of being involved in terrorism.

The issue of homegrown terrorists has been in the spotlight since the onslaught of terror group Islamic State (ISIS), which claims to have established a caliphate - or Islamic state - in parts of Syria and Iraq and which has had alarming success in recruiting Western youth to fight for its cause.

Speaking with reporters Saturday at the Liberal Party of Ontario's annual general meeting in Markham, Trudeau said he believes the Canadian justice system is currently well enough equipped to handle homegrown terrorism.

Legislation passed in June allows the federal government to strip citizenship from dual citizens who are convicted of terrorism at home or abroad.
Trudeau and his Liberals opposed the legislation. He has often expressed his concern the bill creates a "two-tiered" system of citizenship.

Asked for his thoughts on revoking or denying passports to would-be terrorists, Trudeau appeared to conflate citizenship with having a passport, but ultimately said he believes the Criminal Code is the best tool to fight terrorism.

"I think that a lot of Canadians, including very conservative Canadians, should be worried about the state willing to, and taking the power to, arbitrarily remove citizenship from people," he said. "That's a slippery slope that I don't thin...(Click for more) 

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