Opinion | Canada’s vague and harsh new security law reflects contentious geopolitics
- Canada is not alone in tightening security as relations worsen between the West and China, with Hong Kong, unfortunately, caught in the middle
Are sanctions foreign interference? Can political commentary be regarded as deceptive? These are the vexing questions one needs to ponder in this new age of national security concerns – particularly if you are travelling to Canada.
The new legislation, which will take effect next month and apply globally, provides that anyone who, “at the direction of … or in association with, a foreign entity … induces or attempts to induce, by intimidation, threat or violence, any person to do anything … for the purpose of increasing the capacity of a foreign entity … to harm Canadian interests” would be guilty of an offence punishable by life imprisonment.
This is harsh. There is no differentiation in the degree of seriousness of the offence. Moreover, those convicted of such Canadian offences are to serve their sentences consecutively – unless it’s a life sentence – instead of concurrently, even when the sentences arise from offences at the same event or series of events.
This is different from the common law norm. In common law jurisdictions, punishment for offences committed under the same event or series of events normally run concurrently.
