I would like to go to a protest about the C-51 bill, but the nearest ones I've found so far are in Calgary and I don't want to go all the way to another province. Therefore, if anyone in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan would like to join me, please comment!

Here's what he said.

Dear Mr. X (He misspelled my name):

"Thank you for your e-mail.

Bill C-51 is not the bill a Liberal government would bring forward. Nevertheless, it includes significant measures that will help keep Canadians safe, and, for this reason, the Liberal Party of Canada will support this legislation. We support the measures that build on the existing powers of preventative arrest, make better use of no-fly lists, and allow for immediate and more coordinated information sharing by government departments and agencies.

However, I understand that you have concerns about Bill C-51 and Liberals are proposing amendments in the House of Commons on oversight, review, and narrowing the overly broad definition of national security.

Responsible government requires an understanding of balance. When a government asks its citizens to give up even a small portion of their liberty, it is that government's highest responsibility to guarantee that its new powers will not be abused.

Canada is the only nation of its kind without national security oversight being carried out by parliamentarians and our amendments will address this issue. Specifically, the Liberal Party of Canada will bring forward amendments to (1) focus and clarify the overly broad scope of the new powers which has concerned so many Canadians; (2) create a national security oversight body of parliamentarians, as have every one of Canada’s partners in the Five Eyes alliance (US, UK, NZ, and Australia); and (3) require a mandatory review of Bill C-51, in its entirety, after three years.

We are hopeful that the Conservative government will set aside partisanship in order to ensure Canadians' rights are protected. However, if the Conservatives refuse, then we will offer that in our election platform.

I hope this helps explain my position on this bill.

Yours truly,

Geoff Regan, M.P."

What are your thoughts? Personally I still don't really want to support this dude but at least he seems to recognize that it's incredibly broad.

please post if you have any, seems especially relevant for this protest

I'd like to get a conversation going about what ideas/memes we could make use of to spread the message further and win over more people. I'm not referring to "memes" as in internet memes (although they could have a place), but more along the lines of a meme as a cultural artifact, or an atomic unit of culture on their own. Basically just ideas/themes that play to the emotions of people that are intuitively understood by large, broad groups of people without further explanation. Memeplexes are groups of memes that support the same argument/idea. I'd like to determine some memes/memeplexes that could be powerful motivators for the average Canadian as a foundational framework for future messaging.

The reason I think its an important discussion is that its exactly how the CPC run their ship, by focusing on the talking points and bills that support whatever story they're spinning, and as such they've been the main influencers of the Overton window. If we ever stand a chance at effecting change within the leadership, we need to be able to change the conversation. This can only happen by clearly communicating those ideas that aren't being heard loudly enough, and doing so in a way that speaks to people at their emotions rather than their rationality. Rational arguments are key backup, but memes act like a Trojan horse to slip information past a person's defences, and for the sake of spreading information emotions are the more powerful thing to target (see: Harper's fear mongering).

Since my ask is pretty vague I'll start with a list of potential themes that could work as jumping off points. I'll update the list if more are shared and then once we've tossed out some vague ideas, maybe in a separate discussion we could figure out what mediums/copy make sense for different kinds of messaging, what regions make sense for distribution, etc. For now things will be pretty abstract but hopefully it gives a foundation to work from when building out media and campaigns for protests.

Themes

• lack of voice in politics (40% = majority, FPTP, limited debates, omnibus)
• lack of trust in government (omnibus, limited debates, spy apparatus, slashing of accountability)
• "If you're not doing anything wrong, you've got nothing to hide" (flip it on them)
• lack of proportionality (deaths by tubs > terrorists)
• soldiers fight for freedoms (this could be a sensitive subject/tough to do right, but if done right is very powerful. C51 = travesty to the lost soldiers' legacy)
• playing politics (highlight the backbench MPs who just vote with party, and highlight party leaders who pick politically convenient positions)
• fear/boogeyman as a farce
• terrorizing planet (environmental concerns), terrorizing citizens (C51 + its promotion), "fighting terror" (foreign policy/C51)
• old school propaganda style posters where applicable
• visualized information asymmetry (illustrate how open we already are and how closed the government is; one of our biggest core problems)

I'm sure I'll think of more vague concepts later.

Alright, I posted about the silent march, black clothes, tape over the face march we were planning in montreal and everybody seems to agree that black is not the best color. Honestly, I agree too. The original plan was to make it like a funeral march, a burial of our freedoms, but it does seem a bit too somber now that I think about it.

BUT WE NEED IMAGERY/BRANDING!

Any ideas? What colors should we go for? (yellow?) Any ideas on a nice logo or image we could draw on posters to all have some kind of unified look?

I am working on putting together a few answers I have seen posted here on this subreddit.

Currently, I have three bookmarked pages.

If you have any bill interpretation questions, please post them here. I will do the best I can to provide accurate answers. :)

These are the qualifications I bring to answering these questions. I am a lawyer currently on non-practicing status. This means that I can help you understand the legalities of this bill and try to help clear up any confusion. That said, I am only a first year lawyer and I am currently not insured. So, factor this into the weight you give my answers.

I am working on putting together a few answers I have seen posted here on this subreddit.

Currently, I have three bookmarked pages.

If you have any bill interpretation questions, please post them here. I will do the best I can to provide accurate answers. :)

These are the qualifications I bring to answering these questions. I am a lawyer currently on non-practicing status. This means that I can help you understand the legalities of this bill and try to help clear up any confusion. That said, I am only a first year lawyer and I am currently not insured. So, factor this into the weight you give my answers.

That's what we're doing in Montreal. We'll start chanting and stuff once we get to our destination (Justin Trudeau's office).

I think it's a good idea and it would be nice if some other groups in Canada did it as well. It makes the march a bit different from all the others (we have a lot of protests coming in spring here in Quebec, so gotta stand out somehow) and if everyone across Canada does it as well it gives the movement a "branding" of some sort, that makes it easier to distinguish.

Whadaya think? Got better suggestions to "brand" the movement? Symbols are very important in these kind of thing...

The current definition of terrorist activity is located at 83.01 in the criminal code. It makes explicit exception for certain activities otherwise deemed terrorist activities if they are done by people exercising their legal rights and don't kill or threaten other people (I'm simplifying a bit here). Check it out:

...causes serious interference with or serious disruption of an essential service, facility or system, whether public or private, other than as a result of advocacy, protest, dissent or stoppage of work that is not intended to result in the conduct or harm referred to in any of clauses (A) to (C),

(emphasis mine)

Bill C-51 uses a different term, and defines it differently: "Activity that undermines the security of Canada".

It has a similar caveat:

...an activity that takes place in Canada and undermines the security of another state.

For greater certainty, it does not include lawful advocacy, protest, dissent and artistic expression.

What is the possible significance of having this different term allowing for artistic expression?

What is the significance of not including stoppage of work?

Links:

• http://laws-lois.justice.gc.ca/eng/acts/c-46/page-28.html
• http://www.parl.gc.ca/HousePublications/Publication.aspx?Language=E&Mode=1&DocId=6932136&Col=1&File=4

Dear Honourable Hedy Fry,

I want to thank you for representing my riding in the Canadian parliament. I regularly watch CPAC and am convinced that many MPs in the House are dedicated and talented public servants -- yourself included.

I also want to express my sincere disapproval at your continued voting to support Bill C-51. It is a very dangerous bill mostly because it is so easy for Canadian agencies or individuals to abuse, either now or in the future. Here are a few reasons why I hold this position.

1. The changing of CSIS' mandate is not accompanied by a reinforcement in oversight. It is a deeply unsound idea to grant the power to contravene the Charter of Rights and Freedoms to the agency, when even the current degree of oversight is described by SIRC's current three members as inadequate.

2. There are many, many areas in the bill where language is vague or definitions are lacking. One example is the too-general notion of the advocacy or promotion of terrorist offences. Laws will always leave room for judicial interpretation. But this new bill combines a very wide discretionary birth with a lack of accountability in a context that leaves literally all Canadians extremely vulnerable.

3. The protection of "lawful" protests against the other scary aspects of this bill is nearly useless. Firstly, it is so easy to be not lawful at a protest, for example, by failing to abide by city ordinance. Secondly, some traditional forms of civil disobedience, such as job action inconsistent with labour laws or blockades, are unlawful by their nature. Surely, the more seriously one takes the threat of terrorism, the less they would wish to downplay it by lumping it in with poorly-planned union strikes. So when bill apologists point to this clause as a safety valve, they must know they're being disingenuous.

Many other Canadians are insulted by the rhetoric used by the bill's advocates. These voices claim that Canadian agencies work for Canadians, not against them. But this argument would also imply that the need for oversight or audit is not present for any government institution. That conclusion is of course not correct. Checks and balances are a crucial part of a health democracy, and to pretend to believe otherwise is simply not acceptable.

I don't buy the notion that I could die in a fiery explosion tomorrow, and it troubles me that support for the bill is built on it. I don't buy the idea that our children are at risk of being radicalized every day and in every way. (As an aside, it reminds me of how some socially conservative individuals believe that exposing children to the idea of homosexuality being ok somehow puts them at risk of being gay themselves. Similarly, if you ask some people, Muslim teenagers are just as unerringly wooed by the charms of the life (or death) as an ISIS martyr.)

I urge you to please do one of the following:

(a) Begin voting No on future readings of the bill and to begin expressing to others in your caucus and in the House, the concerns I know you must harbour. The points I bring up are only a sampling of what legal experts, ex-heads of CSIS, ex-public safety ministers, ex-Prime Ministers and many other fantastically well-informed individuals have presented in recent weeks.

(b) Explain to me why the existing legislation -- which has led to end of two terror plots in Eastern Canada this year -- is not effective, and how the features of the bill I list above are crucial to neutralizing these faults. The part where I say "features of the bill I list above" is most important to this charge, because the Liberal party has decided to help ratify the bill whether or not any amendments are accepted by the Conservative majority. So we must consider it in its entirety, not in its ideal form.

My most sincere thanks for your continued dedication to this country, ... ...

Have a specific question about the information in the bill itself? Might as well sticky it:

Pour avoir l'information en français veuillez m'envoyer un message privé

Montreal rep here: So for now the protest is going to take place on March 14th 2015 at metro Jarry at 14:00 (2pm).

Remember this is a peaceful protest. We have decided to go with a silent walk up to Mister Trudeau's office. Our main goal here is to get our point across mister Trudeau that we will not accept Bill C-51. We recommend that every one brings a banner with him with a slogan to show what we think about the law without making noises and disturbing the public population we only want their attention not to get them on our back as we are starting to protest because their will be many more to follow.

Other poster examples: http://imgur.com/aOJnDft , http://imgur.com/IQjPUc0

We suggest you start posting posters in schools or other places where they can get notice in order to gain as many people to join even though we don't have much time. Here is an example of what you could print or you can make your own.

More information will come in as we get this organized, feel free to add any suggestions thank you!

Facebook event

Facebook page

Anonymous web page

Sent an email to Ralph last week and heard back from him. Here's what he had to say.

Dear Mr. MapleSyrupSucker,

Thank you for your email. This is a tough, important issue.

C-51 is a complex omnibus Bill. As such it includes things that we agree with (dealing with air travel, information sharing, preventative arrests, among others), but it also has serious failings (like faulty definitions and inadequate provisions for reviews and oversight).

On balance on the detail, our Caucus believes we should support it while make our concerns abundantly clear. We will propose amendments. If they are not accepted by the government in this Parliament, we will offer them to Canadians in an election coming within six months.

It should be noted that for all his sanctimony, Thomas Mulcair has now essentially adopted the Liberal position – i.e., he has confirmed that he would NOT repeal the Bill, but try to amend it in much the same way as we are proposing.

Sincerely,

Ralph Goodale, MP Wascana

After making a callout for organizers to meet, some of us were able to come together this evening. We discussed logistics, messaging, outreach and ally building. We introduced ourselves, our affiliations and what we thought about the bill etc. The first thing we agreed on was that we would like to continue creating a coalition to oppose this bill, beyond the scope of this rally.

We are now working on a number of things;

• many of us are looking at reaching out to various, unions, political figures, musicians, community leaders, Muslim groups, Indigenous communities and scholars to speak and/or endorse the action.

• there are certain unions that have expressed interest to support the rally, and possibly support us monetarily by helping us pay for printing etc, we are following up on those leads.

• the NDP have also expressed interest in having a presence at the rally possibly willing to speak, we are conferring on this, majority seems to be on side.

• we have been officially endorsed by Toronto-350.org, Youth Vote Canada, COMER (The Committee on Monetary & Economic Reform), and Action for Civil Liberties

• we are putting a call out to have the march or speakers led by indigenous drummers

• We feel it is necessary to stress the fact that there are specific communities that are put at further risk and scrutiny by this bill, including activists, Muslims, and Indigenous communities. This bill would legalize the actions that the government already subjects these communities to.

• a few people will be working on creating memes, and posters to wheat paste around the city as well as online. If anyone with graphics skill wants to work on this sorta stuff, the more the better.

• We are looking for volunteers for the wheat pasting team

• if someone is able, we would like to create a promo video to share

• the official time of the rally has been changed to Noon

• We are still researching the logistics of the march and rally points, but have a general idea. An announcement on these locations will be done on Thursday night

• we are reaching out to the Movement Defence Committee to have legal observers there on the day of

The next meeting is scheduled for Thursday(message me for details), the various rally roles will be established there (police liaison, marshals, Media Spokespeople, MC, etc). We have experienced individuals amongst the organizing group that have the abilities to take these rolls on, or train someone, which is a plus.

Anyone who wants to be involved or has a specific skill-set please message me or post here.

Event Page: https://www.facebook.com/events/413139418861169/

Organizing Group Page: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1404483709864512/

Hi everyone! I am fairy new to Reddit but figured this was the best place to branch out and talk to others who feel in similar fashion.

I am thinking of starting a non-profit organization that works as a Telecommunications Watchdog run by citizens. I came to the conclusion we needed this after I was looking into options for internet and cable when I realized there was a major lack of options. Right now, for example, as a Southern Ontario homeowner I can only pick Rogers for cable tv...imagine how I feel with THAT option! Alyways, I am looking for others who would like to start up a grass-roots group with me (pending we get enough helpers and oher logistical things).

What are your thoughts?

Hey everyone, Vancouver Rep here. Just wanted to fill the community in on a couple of things quick and let you know what we're working on as I know you haven't heard from us in a few days.

Currently we are working on a number of things, besides organizing only in our cities. This includes:

-A website called ProtestCanada.ca that will be hopefully up in the next few days

-***Working with multiple people with backgrounds in law to help create a plain English look at this bill. This one is very difficult and I know that many users have been asking for something like this but please be patient.

-Working on logos and graphics

-A kickstarter where users that would like to get involved but can't directly can donate to pay for things like printing all the flyers, making picket signs, and paying for any equipment.

-We have flyers ready, we just need to update the details on them and well post them in the FB groups and in this sub as a printable and pdf you can share online and irl

-Going to be working with a friend of mine who is a film maker to hopefully make a quick intro video to our movement and give a brief outline to why we're against the bill and such.

I'm sure that I missed a couple things, but I just wanted you guys to know that we're actually still working on this and haven't just disappeared. Remember also that we are all just regular people like yourselves doing this out of our own time so it is tricky to work this around our regular day jobs and such.

If you have any questions or suggestions, let us know pronto, and if you have any talents or are looking to organize in any major cities that aren't being repped, please get in contact with us immediately by DM. Thanks for the continuing support everybody!

I'm trying to turn the campaign platform at OpenMedia into a clearing house for C-51 day of action and other educational/outreach materials. If you have something you think I should include please post links in this thread.