Curbing Civil Liberties: What can Canadians Expect after the Recent Attacks on Soldiers and the Parliament? (Part 1)

Recently, a gunman attacked Canada's Parliament shortly after he fatally wounded a soldier at the nearby war memorial. The suspect was eventually killed inside Parliament before harming anyone else. Was he a terrorist or was he just mentally ill and desperate? Should Canada use this attack on Parliament as a pretext for stripping away civil liberties and increasing surveillance on the Canadian people or does history tell us that the worst laws are often made in the heat of the moment? The governing Conservatives have made no secret of their plan to install new anti-terror powers, giving the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) more powers to track, investigate and detain would-be homegrown terrorists. The speaker will give some background on what gives rise to these so-called “terrorist” threats and discuss whether, and to what extent, Western governments, including our own, are exploiting this "clash of civilizations" to increase their powers for less laudable purposes. Speaker Dr. Paul Viminitz Dr. Paul Viminitz has been a member of the Department of Philosophy at the University of Lethbridge since 1997, specializing in, among other things, the Philosophy of War. Viminitz holds a BA with Honours from the University of Regina, an MA from Dalhousie University and a Doctorate from the University of Alberta. His provocative publication, Defence of Terrorism has yet to get him in trouble when entering either the United States or Great Britain. Date: Thursday, December 4, 2014 Time: Noon - 1:30 PM (30 minutes each for presentation, lunch and Q & A) Location: Country Kitchen Catering (Lower level of The Keg) 1715 Mayor Magrath Dr S Cost: $11.00 (includes lunch) or $2.00 (includes coffee/tea at the presentation only)