Finally someone that is trying to do something.
With a quarter of the nearly 200 Canadian members of overseas terrorist groups returning home and at least a dozen more held in Syrian detentions camps, an impending private-members bill will ensure they’re not entitled to benefits enjoyed by law-abiding Ontarians, the Sun has learned.
Set to be tabled at Queen’s Park next week, the Terrorist Activity Sanctions Act targets those who’ve carried out terrorist acts abroad and excludes them from such privileges as holding an Ontario driver’s licence or accessing provincial health coverage.
“It’s my strong belief that somebody who’s committed a criminal act as a terrorist outside of Canada, when they come back to Ontario, they should not have more privileges than somebody who lives in Ontario,” said Peterborough—Kawartha MPP Dave Smith, the bill’s sponsor.
“Since the Federal Government doesn’t seem to take this seriously, I felt obligated to take action and send a message that there are consequences for leaving Ontario to commit indefensible crimes.”
These crimes are referenced in Section 83 of the Criminal Code and include such acts as hijacking, jeopardizing the safety of civil aviation, hostage-taking and financing terrorist acts, as well as violations of international treaties, including maritime navigation and unlawful importation of nuclear material.
Dependent children would also be considered ‘in need of protection’ as defined by the Child, Youth and Family Services Act.
“These are privileges that, under different circumstances, we take away from people right now if they commit various crimes,” Smith said.
“The Federal Government is sitting on their hands as terrorists sit in foreign jails waiting to return to our beautiful province.”
Intelligence numbers obtained by the Sun say as many as 200 Canadians are still active members in overseas terrorist groups like ISIS. Of those, over a quarter have already returned to Canada — with few facing criminal repercussions for their activities abroad.
About a dozen Canadians are being held by anti-ISIS forces in Syria, while an unknown number of others were either killed in battle, executed by ISIS or managed to slip away undetected.
Under the bill, offenders would find themselves stripped of their Ontario drivers licence and hunting and fishing licences, as well as access to OHIP, grants and loans for post-secondary education, disability income and housing support, rent-geared-to-income under the Housing Services Act, and WSIB coverage.
At issue is what to do with Canadian citizens who leave home to join terror organizations abroad.
This week, the Trudeau Liberals faced harsh questions in the house over a Global News report concerning dialogue between Canadian consular officials and Jack Letts, a British-Canadian ISIS member being held by Kurdish forces.
Letts, dubbed ‘Jihadi Jack’ by the British media, converted to Islam before leaving England in 2014 to allegedly join ISIS’s atrocity-laden quest to create an Islamic caliphate in Syria.
Transcripts obtained by Global reveal Letts responding enthusiastically to overtures from officials of either returning to Great Britain, or relocating to Canada.
The U.K. government has expressed no interest in assisting Letts.
Meanwhile, Smith hopes his bill will send a message that will resonate beyond provincial borders.
“I have had numerous people come up to me with concerns, they want to know that a convicted terrorist cannot walk around freely without real consequences,” he said. “If they are not in a jail cell, they do not deserve the same privileges of every Ontarian.”
“Some acts are unforgivable,” Smith said.
https://torontosun.com/news/provinc...=Social&utm_source=Twitter#Echobox=1539995227
With a quarter of the nearly 200 Canadian members of overseas terrorist groups returning home and at least a dozen more held in Syrian detentions camps, an impending private-members bill will ensure they’re not entitled to benefits enjoyed by law-abiding Ontarians, the Sun has learned.
Set to be tabled at Queen’s Park next week, the Terrorist Activity Sanctions Act targets those who’ve carried out terrorist acts abroad and excludes them from such privileges as holding an Ontario driver’s licence or accessing provincial health coverage.
“It’s my strong belief that somebody who’s committed a criminal act as a terrorist outside of Canada, when they come back to Ontario, they should not have more privileges than somebody who lives in Ontario,” said Peterborough—Kawartha MPP Dave Smith, the bill’s sponsor.
“Since the Federal Government doesn’t seem to take this seriously, I felt obligated to take action and send a message that there are consequences for leaving Ontario to commit indefensible crimes.”
These crimes are referenced in Section 83 of the Criminal Code and include such acts as hijacking, jeopardizing the safety of civil aviation, hostage-taking and financing terrorist acts, as well as violations of international treaties, including maritime navigation and unlawful importation of nuclear material.
Dependent children would also be considered ‘in need of protection’ as defined by the Child, Youth and Family Services Act.
“These are privileges that, under different circumstances, we take away from people right now if they commit various crimes,” Smith said.
“The Federal Government is sitting on their hands as terrorists sit in foreign jails waiting to return to our beautiful province.”
Intelligence numbers obtained by the Sun say as many as 200 Canadians are still active members in overseas terrorist groups like ISIS. Of those, over a quarter have already returned to Canada — with few facing criminal repercussions for their activities abroad.
About a dozen Canadians are being held by anti-ISIS forces in Syria, while an unknown number of others were either killed in battle, executed by ISIS or managed to slip away undetected.
Under the bill, offenders would find themselves stripped of their Ontario drivers licence and hunting and fishing licences, as well as access to OHIP, grants and loans for post-secondary education, disability income and housing support, rent-geared-to-income under the Housing Services Act, and WSIB coverage.
At issue is what to do with Canadian citizens who leave home to join terror organizations abroad.
This week, the Trudeau Liberals faced harsh questions in the house over a Global News report concerning dialogue between Canadian consular officials and Jack Letts, a British-Canadian ISIS member being held by Kurdish forces.
Letts, dubbed ‘Jihadi Jack’ by the British media, converted to Islam before leaving England in 2014 to allegedly join ISIS’s atrocity-laden quest to create an Islamic caliphate in Syria.
Transcripts obtained by Global reveal Letts responding enthusiastically to overtures from officials of either returning to Great Britain, or relocating to Canada.
The U.K. government has expressed no interest in assisting Letts.
Meanwhile, Smith hopes his bill will send a message that will resonate beyond provincial borders.
“I have had numerous people come up to me with concerns, they want to know that a convicted terrorist cannot walk around freely without real consequences,” he said. “If they are not in a jail cell, they do not deserve the same privileges of every Ontarian.”
“Some acts are unforgivable,” Smith said.
https://torontosun.com/news/provinc...=Social&utm_source=Twitter#Echobox=1539995227
