September 11: Consequences for Canada

In September 11 Kent Roach provides a critical examination of the consequences of September 11 for law, democracy, sovereignty, and security. He assesses a broad range of anti-terrorism measures including the Anti-terrorism Act, the smart border agreement, Canadian participation in the war in Afghanistan, changes to refugee policy, the 2001 Security Budget, and the proposed Public Safety Act. Roach evaluates both the opposition of many civil society groups to the Anti-terrorism Act and the government's defence of the law as necessary to prevent terrorism and consistent with human rights. He warns that exceptions to legal principles made to fight terrorism may spread to attempts to combat other crimes and suggests that Canadian law may not provide adequate protection against invasions of privacy or discriminatory profiling of people as potential terrorists. With reference to controversial comments about September 11 made by Prime Minister Chretien and others and the debate about "anti-Americanism," Roach examines whether September 11 has chilled Canadian democracy.He also examines the challenge September 11 presents for Canadian sovereignty on key components of foreign, military, and immigration policy and the possibility that Canadian Forces participated in violations of international law in Afghanistan. With specific reference to the threat of nuclear and biological terrorism and aviation safety, Roach argues that more emphasis on administrative and technological measures and less emphasis on criminal sanctions and military force may better protect Canadians from both terrorism and other threats to their security.

About the Author :
Kent Roach is professor of law at the University of Toronto and the author of numerous books including The Supreme Court on Trial: Judicial Activism or Democratic Dialogue and Due Process and Victims' Rights: The New Law and Politics of Criminal Justice, both of which were short-listed for the Donner Prize for best public policy book.

Review :
A very fine and important treatment of a highly topical and crucial issue. The particular strength of Roach's argument lies in his expert and insightful analysis of the anti-terrorism legislation and in the judicial context in which this legislation will be interpreted. Reg Whitaker, Distinguished Research Professor Emeritus, York University /// "A fresh and readable analysis of the remarkable Canadian Government and public reactions to the events of September 11. Roach puts the events and Canada's reaction to them in perspective and many of his suggestions on how to increase security are excellent." John Higginbotham, Canadian Centre for Management Development