Demonstrations across Canada protest Bill C-51

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Demonstrations across Canada protested the federal government’s proposed anti-terrorism legislation on Sunday.

The Harper government says the legislation will make Canadians safer, while demonstrators call the bill dangerous, reckless and unacceptable.

The controversial new bill was introduced by the Harper government in January.

In downtown Hamilton the noisy protest was organized by the United Steelworkers Local 1005 and supported by the Hamilton and District Labour Council.

Like other groups across the nation, Hamilton protestors say Bill C-51 gives police much broader powers and increases the powers of Canada’s spy agency.

The largest demonstration was in Toronto’s Nathan Phillips Square with more than 1,000 in attendance.

The message from coast-to-coast was the same. Critics say the wide-ranging bill, if enacted as law, will infringe upon Canadians’ civil liberties and right to privacy, especially online, saying that Canadians can be targeted for speaking out against the government.

They hope their message will be echoed at the ballot box in the upcoming federal election.