JURIST - Paper Chase: Canada House of Commons blocks extension of anti-terror provisions

[JURIST] Canada's House of Commons [official website] Tuesday voted against extending two provisions of the country's Anti-Terrorism Act [text; CBC backgrounder] that are set to expire [JURIST report] March 1. The controversial provisions include a preventive arrest clause that allows police to arrest suspects without warrant for 72 hours and an investigative hearing clause that allows judges to force individuals to testify in terror cases. Canada's opposition Liberal Party [political party website] prevailed in defeating the proposed extension Tuesday by a vote of 159-124, supported by MPs from the New Democratic Party [political party website] and Bloc Quebecois [political party website, in French]. Canada's ruling Conservative Party [political party website] government originally presented the motion to extend, sparking heated debate [statements, text] before its defeat. CTV News has more.

In October, two Canadian court decisions [JURIST report] struck down as unconstitutional portions of the Anti-Terrorism Act. The act was passed in Canada [JURIST news archive] three months after the Sept. 11 attacks [JURIST news archive] on the United States.

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