New anti terrorism legislation introduced by the Harper government will soon be voted upon in the House of Commons. Despite reservations with respect to lack of oversight of the security agencies Justin Trudeau has let it be known the Liberals will be supporting it. The NDP may follow suit despite similar reservations. The legislation before the House or any other that may be yet to come on terrorism will pass simply because of the Harper majority. But Both the Liberals and the NDP do not want to be caught on the wrong side of Harper on this matter because Harper may drop the writ on this issue. If he does he will more likely than not win that election if the issue can be formulated in a way to make it last for the duration of the campaign.
The political foreplay now occurring before the inevitable election would be hilarious were it not for the serious issue of terror it revolves around. We must have tougher and better laws. Our police and security agencies must have adequate resources. Yes there must be better oversight of our law enforcement and intelligence agencies to ensure we do not trade our liberty for security.
But this complex display of moves and countermoves by all parties masks the real problem that Canada faces above and beyond the appropriate oversight, laws and resources for our police and security agencies to monitor, apprehend and prosecute the terrorists. The Conservatives, NDP and the Liberals are all silent about that real problem: how to ensure the fabric of Canada is no longer fertile ground for the cancer of terror to take hold and grow. If we do not address that more fundamental issue, better laws, more resources and improved oversight could never fully protect us from terror. If we do not create in Canada the political environment where the seeds of this affliction don't take hold perpetual monitoring, apprehending and prosecuting the terrorists after the fact will forever be our fate.
Where does one begin to create the conditions to combat self or other radicalisation? One begins by naming the problem. But naming is difficult to do in the thick of shaming by the merchants of political correctness. When the White House and CBC begin to confer unintended legitimacy on the terrorists by referring to them as militants it becomes difficult to carry on an honest debate and speak the unvarnished truth. English dictionary defines militant as someone "using extreme and sometimes violent methods to achieve social or political change". So the White House could argue the word militant does capture ISIS terrorists within its meaning. But militant encompasses peaceful change too. Describing ISIS as militants the White House and CBC are soft pedalling their crimes against humanity and diminishing their brutality in the eyes of the public.
ISIS plies its savagery in the name of a distorted version of Islam. The right wing Christian antiabortionists have killed blinded by hate too. Our institutions never had nor should they have had any difficulty naming them as the extreme of the Christian Right. When Canadian Khalistani terrorists downed the Air India flight from Canada over the Irish Sea the right thinking Canadians called them what they were: Terrorists who claimed to be Sikh while they were anything but. So why are we shying away from calling and branding the Islamist terror for what it is? It is Islamism that believes in killing 'infidels' and anyone else that stands between them and their designs of Caliphate of total religious domination of all according to their distorted view of their professed faith. No right thinking Christians minded us calling the anti abortion murderers operating in the US and Canada extreme right wing Christians. No right thinking Sikh ever denied that the Air India terrorists all claimed to be Sikhs. Why do we do this obfuscatory dance on the Islamist terrorists of ISIS or any Canadian murderers inspired by or following them or their example?
Then there is the 'root causes' debate. I had dealt with it in my blog post "Christ, Muhammed and Gandhi 'offended staus quo' to change the world" dated January 10th, 2015. A certain 'offendedness' not poverty was the root cause of the Air India bombing, 9/11, Toronto18, attacks in Ottawa, St. Jean-sur-Richileau and Paris. If we are to find long term solutions to this disease of terror of offendedness or otherwise that is upon us we need to be clear about the who and the why of it. We must at all times use clear language. Of all people the politicians must lead the discussion on this issue in the public square. They must constantly name the enemy, the problem and the solutions. Media mustn't be obfuscatory or politically correct. If the problem stats at home, school, religious place or the internet naming names will lift the clouds of confusion around our understanding of the issue. If mosques, temples, churches or pagodas have to be named so be it. No one, no religion and no institution religious or secular is exempt from the basic obligation of ensuring peace and social solidarity amongst Canadians regardless of faith, language or race.
We are living in extraordinary times. The political leaders, the faith leaders and the media need to be extraordinarily fearless and farsighted. We mustn't allow the onslaught of challenges thrust upon us by the terrorists in our midst or abroad and our own political correctness to usher us into a season of appeasement.
