A former Mountie and CSIS operative thinks Harper’s so called anti-terrorism bill is scary and unnecessary.
Mr. Lavigne, 55, left government in 1999, but follows intelligence news closely.
He spent years tracking dangerous radicals without the powers the government wants to give to CSIS.
“I find it a little convenient that in the past few years that these radicalized people are the biggest threat to ever hit us,” he said. “There are more people dying because of drunk drivers or because of gang violence.”
(-link added by me)
Mr. Lavigne said the prime minister’s advisers must tell him that using inflammatory language increases the risk.
“When our leaders start talking about tentacles and jihadis and barbarians, it’s adding fuel to the fire. It’s actually increasing the likelihood of that happening.”
Mr. Lavigne said the prime minister’s language reminds him of fascist leaders like Mussolini and Franco.
“Some of these tactics are taken right out of the fascist playbook,” he said.
“They’re not crossing the line. They’re using the language to appeal to the emotions, which is one of the first stages. Disinformation being the second, which I think they also use. But they’re not fascist. I’m not saying the government’s fascist.”
He laughs.
“Don’t detain me.”
Ha. Ha. Don’t detain me, either.
